Volvo Trucks is the first manufacturer in the world to use Bio-DME (Di-Methyl-Ether) as a vehicle fuel with the inauguration this week of a DME filling station in Stockholm by Swedish fuel distributor Preem. As a consequence, the first five Volvo DME trucks in commercial operation are now taking to Sweden’s roads.
Bio-DME is highly exciting as a biofuel since it produces no less than 95 per cent lower emissions of carbon dioxide compared with diesel.
“For a new fuel to have a chance of survival, it needs production, distribution and suitably modified vehicles. Now we have all three pieces of the puzzle in place in a complete, entirely unique field test,” says Volvo Trucks’ Environmental Director Lars Mårtensson.
The field test will take place over a two-year period and its aim is to demonstrate the potential for large-scale investment in DME produced from biomass. The project encompasses the entire technical chain from biomass to fuel, i.e. distribution, filling stations, trucks and haulage firms.
