Renault has launched versions of its Trafic and Master vans that run on B30 biodiesel, the first Renault vehicles capable of running on biofuel.
The Trafic 2.0 dCi B30 and Master 2.5 dCi B30 are the first examples of the automaker’s commitment to biofuels, made as part of Renault Commitment 2009, whereby all diesel engines sold in Europe by 2009 will be able to run on fuel blends containing 30% biofuel. The commitment also makes provision for bringing to market by 2008 1m vehicles emitting less than 140g/km of CO2, of which a third emit less than 120 g/km.
The biofuel vehicles have been launched in France. Renault is targeting these models primarily at fleet customers who want to reduce the CO2 emissions of their vehicles.
The Trafic model is available with a 90 hp and 115 hp 2.0 dCi B30 engine, while the Master has 100 hp and 120 hp 2.5 dCi B30 units. These engines are able to run on diesel or on a diesel/biodiesel mix with up to 30% biodiesel content.
Renault sees biofuels as one of the most efficient and economic ways of controlling CO2
emissions in the medium term, since it is easy to fit this technology on volume production models.
“Well to wheel”, they are much more efficient than conventional fuels, said the company in a statement. An engine running on 30% biodiesel emits up to 20% fewer CO2 emissions than on conventional diesel, depending on the biological source. Produced from vegetable oils or biomass, biofuels are also renewable and diversified energies that limit dependence on fossil fuels.
