Volkswagen Trucks and Buses advances in tests with B100

VW Trucks and Buses announced progress with field tests of vehicles powered by B100, aimed at transporting cargo using 100% biodiesel fuel. With more than 500 kilometers driven, VWCO has been conducting advanced studies with biodiesel of vegetable and animal origin applied to all families in its portfolio, including all truck families: light trucks, such as the Delivery, medium trucks, represented by the Constellation, and extra-heavy trucks, in the Meteor version.

Much of this testing is done in partnership with clients, in their real-world operations. In this way, the planned scope covers urban operations and medium- and long-distance road transport. The automaker has been researching the application of biofuel in commercial vehicles in Brazil since 2003 and is continuously evolving in this area.

“With over 500 kilometers covered in analyses, in addition to several controlled tests on performance and emissions test benches, we seek to understand the efficiency of this type of fuel applied to the reality of road operation. Aspects such as performance, consumption, impact on the vehicle maintenance cycle, and reliability in real working conditions are evaluated. The results indicate stable operation, with good energy efficiency and performance equivalent to that of vehicles powered by conventional diesel,” details Rodrigo Chaves, Vice President of Engineering and CTO of Volkswagen Trucks and Buses.

To enable field testing and ensure vehicle availability in operation, Volkswagen Trucks and Buses invested in training a specialized team to conduct technical analyses, support the client, and provide assistance in developing the storage and logistics infrastructure for using this fuel. In addition, a specific maintenance plan was developed, with special attention to monitoring critical components such as filters and the engine.

This experience enables the creation of a complete support ecosystem, which will transform into a network prepared to serve customers in this niche, ensuring high performance and greater durability of vehicles.

“With the application of these tests, we seek to offer the market sustainable transportation options. Both projects are the result of a careful analysis and recognition of the needs of our sector, which presents a diversity of opportunities for renewable fuels. With this, we wish to deliver a solution that combines performance with environmental responsibility in the segments in which we operate,” adds Ricardo Alouche, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and After-Sales at the automaker.

Benefited operations and models

Among the main benefits of biofuels is the significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide (CO₂). According to studies by the National Petroleum Agency (ANP), the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (Abiove), and the Energy Research Company (EPE), biodiesel of animal origin can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 75% in the well-to-wheel cycle, while biodiesel produced from soybeans can achieve a reduction of up to 90% compared to fossil diesel.

In addition to environmental benefits, the lower cost of fuel, which in some cases is produced by the customer themselves, represents a significant operational advantage. B100 models promote circularity in customer operations and contribute to the reduction of pollutants.

Sustainability journey

The past year was marked by important initiatives from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses focused on sustainability, especially within the decarbonization plan, one of the pillars of the company's ESG strategy. In addition to developing products with a lower environmental impact, the automaker is investing in creating a more sustainable production cycle and consolidating solutions that promote increasingly decarbonized transportation.