Shell, Volkswagen, and Bosch develop new fuel | Blue Gasoline

VOLKSWAGEN Bosch and fuel manufacturer Shell have been pooling resources to help create a new type of low carbon gasoline for use in cars and motorcycles.

The new fuel is part of a growing range of alternative, low-carbon renewable fuels, and it contains 33% renewable ingredients and is claimed to reduce carbon emissions by at least 20 percent per kilometer driven.

The teams behind the new fuel have already been running a small fleet of Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI hatchbacks on the new petrol, and it’s calculated that if 1,000 of these cars were using the funky new juice and driving 10,000 miles a year, around 230 metric tons of CO2 could be saved per year.

On-road savings aside, Shell is claiming it will offset the remaining carbon emissions from the use of Blue Gasoline through certified offset arrangements, making the new petrol carbon-neutral. The initial plan is to make the fuel available at regular filling stations over the course of the year, starting in Germany.

What goes into Volkswagen and Shell's new Blue Gasoline?

The proportion of up to 33 percent renewables is made up of biomass-based naphtha or ethanol certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) system. One source of such naphtha is what is known as tall oil, a by-product in the production of pulp for paper. But naphtha can also be obtained from other residual and waste materials.

While the new fuel sounds like a lifeline for petrol engines, it’s worth noting it might not be the best bet for all motorcycles, especially older, classic, and vintage machines. We already know the damage that can be done to fuel tanks and associated systems by high ethanol-blended petrol, and this new fuel is only stated to be compatible with vehicles that are approved for E10 (Super 95), maybe not making it the ideal choice for your retro pride and joy.