Vehicles are designed to run with a specific type of fuel, and sometimes when you add a different type, it can lead to the car breaking down or not having near the previous performance. Trucks mainly run on diesel and biodiesel – some models are coming out with hybrid versions; hatchbacks, sedans, and SUVs run on gasoline, but also have some flex and electric versions. The buyers have never had this many options on the market before, and it’s hard to pick just one for daily use, but a motivating factor to not switch to electric is the power combustion engines provide.
Market with multiple ‘fuel’ options
It has been over 139 years since the first car was created, and from that moment on, humanity has relied heavily on these machines, but their creation came with a price: pollution. Fossil-based fuels, when burned, contribute to air and water pollution, harm the atmosphere, and have broader environmental impacts. After decades of harming the Earth, researchers started to look for alternative fuels, and nowadays, you can choose among many options.
Electric manufacturers are the market leaders now, selling thousands of cars daily, but the electric powertrain can’t live up to the energy needs of a pickup truck or a supercar. The combustion and electric systems can work together to create a hybrid, but the battery can only help in certain scenarios. For trucks and pickups, the best option is diesel or biodiesel, but recently, the ‘vegan’ version has caused problems.
Biodiesel blamed for cars breaking down in Norway
The diesel and biodiesel may share the same letters, but they are two different types of fuel. While one is fossil-based, the other one extracts its power from natural, organic sources such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and used cooking oils. Usually, these two types do not combine, but in Norway, the gas stations incorporate up to 7% biodiesel into all diesel sold. The goal was to reduce CO2 emissions, but they ended up causing more harm than good.
The blend led some trucks to break down with clogged filters and engine problems. Biodiesel is not stable like traditional diesel, and temperature variations and humidity can accelerate its degradation, resulting in the formation of substances that prevent the engine from running smoothly, or not running at all.
Vegetable oil as a source of energy isn’t new
The ‘bio’ on the fuel name might sound like something created recently, along with movements from brands and manufacturers to create a clean source of energy, but using vegetable oil as a diesel alternative has been around for over 120 years.
It was first demonstrated by Rudolph Diesel, the same person who invented the diesel engine, at the 1900 Paris Fair, where he showed an engine running on peanut oil to demonstrate that his creation could also run on renewable, plant-based fuel. Biodiesel is a refined version of vegetable oil or animal fat created through a chemical process, and it must be stored and used in specifically designed engines in order to ensure the best performance and minimize pollution.
Specific guidelines needed
Norway is culturally classified as a Nordic country, which means that it is part of a specific group of countries in Northern Europe where low temperatures are common due to their proximity to the Earth’s North Pole, and other characteristics they share. In snowy, cold conditions, biodiesel can gel or form waxy deposits, and if not stored properly, it can lead to deterioration over time. While experts have yet to determine clear guidelines for the correct use of biodiesel, some vehicles do not need electricity or a fossil-based energy source, just water and an air-sealed tank.
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