Green petrol even greener. The Blue Gasoline developed by Bosch, Shell and Volkswagen is credited with 20% less CO2 emissions, which is the “cross” of this fuel. The new petrol is more sustainable because it has a renewable share of 33% (certified biomass naphtha or ethanol). This is the same percentage also contained in Blue Diesel R33, produced with an incidence of fossil origin of 67%. Alternative diesel is still very exclusive: in Germany it is available in only 8 distributors.
In a note, Bosch explains that the “reduction of carbon emissions throughout the Well to Wheel cycle, ie from the extraction well to use in vehicles, is at least 20% for every kilometer traveled”. Shell is already expected to offset other carbon emissions through agreements.
Complying with the EN 228 / E10 standard, this fuel is particularly suitable for plug-in vehicles, which up to now have been rarely used in electric mode and therefore less environmentally virtuous than their potential. The three companies have calculated that a fleet of one thousand latest generation Golfs equipped with the 1.5-liter turbo that traveled 10,000 km per year would avoid the dispersion of 230 tons of carbon dioxide per year. The “greener green”, which can be used in all petrol engines, will arrive on the market this year. Marketing will begin in Germany and Bosch has already anticipated that Blue Gasoline will replace regular petrol at its filling stations: the first will be that of Schwieberdingen, about fifteen kilometers northwest of Stuttgart, where the supplier has its headquarters. At least for the moment the cost is not known, even if the goal is to “get to a price at the pump that is in the range of premium fuels such as Shell V-Power”.
The new petrol boasts both greater storage stability and better boiling behavior and thanks to the additives it also keeps the engine clean, protecting it from corrosion. To avoid misunderstandings, Bosch points out that renewable fuels are not an alternative to electric mobility. If anything, they integrate it. “On the path to eco-sustainable mobility, we need to make sure we explore all technological opportunities, from electromobility to renewable fuels,” commented Uwe Gackstatter, president of the Powertrain Solutions division. The possible use of renewable fuels can also improve the performance of vehicles already in circulation, reducing their environmental impact.
