From this month Shell Malaysia and BonusLink are offering their Extra rewards and loyalty programme with enhancements. The consumer rewards programme, now having more than 14.9 million members nationwide, has a new 4-level structure – Member, Silver, Gold and Platinum – which increases the level of rewards as members collect more BonusLink points at Shell stations nationwide.
Get points with card or app
As always, getting Bonuslink points can be done by fuelling up, or buying snacks or lubricants at the stores in the stations. Points can be collected either by using the BonusLink card or the BLINK App with each purchase.
Depending on the tier status, members are entitled to enjoy customer-exclusive rewards and various perks of up to 3X BonusLink Points multiplier, Deli2Go and Upsize Coffee promo, discounts on Shell products, birthday treats and more.
Extra rewarding experience
“As a mobility retailer, we are constantly evolving with our customers and striving to provide quality at every touchpoint. Our partnership with BonusLink allows us to give our customers an extra rewarding experience every time they fuel and shop at our stations,” said Seow Lee Ming, General Manager Mobility, Shell Malaysia & Singapore.
“Starting July 2022, BonusLink is taking the loyalty services one step further to reward our loyalty members. This is an exciting time for us as we begin to transform our service offerings to add value and to offer more rewards to our members based on their level. With this, members can enjoy an array of goodies and Extra Points simply by continuing to swipe their BonusLink Card or their Virtual Card via BLINK App at Shell,” explained Melvin Ooi, CEO of BonusLink.
Soon, thousands of Malaysians will be travelling across the country as they head to their hometowns to reconnect with relatives and friends during Hari Raya festivities and the school holidays. Others will be taking a holiday break to once again enjoy the freedom of being able to go further than the state boundaries after two years of restrictions.
Whatever the reason for travel, Shell is offering Malaysian motorists the chance to refuel and enjoy their favourite snacks on-the-go with the ‘Ekstra KM Belanja’ campaign. This campaign enables customers to use their Kilometres (KM) with Shell fuels as a ‘currency’ to buy items at any Shell SELECT, deli2go or Shell Lubricants store.
The more they fuel at a Shell outlet, the more KM they will be rewarded with. As an added bonus, 40 lucky customers will be rewarded with one year worth of free fuel from Shell.
“I am very much anticipating the upcoming festive period and I believe many Malaysians are too. We imagine many would be travelling back to their hometowns after missing out from celebrating with their families and relatives for the past 2 years,” said Seow Lee Ming, General Manager, Mobility Malaysia and Singapore.
“Shell will continue to accompany Malaysians wherever they choose to travel this Hari Raya season, giving them extra value on their journey. Now our customers ‘Ekstra KM’ can be used to purchase their travelling necessities when on the road, adding on that extra joy to their holiday journey. Wishing Everyone a safe journey this coming holidays, Selamat Hari Raya!” she said.
The campaign period runs from May 1 until June 30, 2022 and during this period, customers can pay for Shell SELECT and deli2go snacks using their KM as ‘currency’. All they have to do is pump RM40 worth of Shell FuelSave 95, or collect 390KM with Shell V-Power or Shell V-Power Racing. Once they scan the QR code and upload photos of receipts to the Shell ‘Ekstra KM Belanja’ microsite, they can start redeeming Shell SELECT offers instantly. The redemption period lasts until July 10, 2022.
Customers can choose from a wide array of offers including favourites such as Maggi Hot Cup, Nescafe, fresh pastries, and many more roadtrip essentials available from Shell SELECT, deli2go, and Shell lubricants outlets. In addition, they can use their KM to redeem items from deli2go’s new range of hot and fresh food for those who prefer a more wholesome meal at their pit stops, come this May.
Sunshine contains energy and it’s free and abundantly available, so it makes sense that it can be used to power facilities. Modern technology had made it possible to collect sunshine and convert it into energy and Shell Malaysia is making use of this technology in efforts to lower carbon emissions.
The company has installed solar panels at 216 of its retail stations around the country as is part of the drive to adopt a combination of measures to improve its energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint. Installation of solar panels at retail stations help supplement and reduce dependability on local utilities, resulting in increased electrical savings for the stations in the long run.
216 stations to date
Shell is working with Cleantech Solar to install the solar panels at its retail stations in Malaysia. So far, a total of 22,505 solar Photo Voltaic panels with a total capacity of 10.12 megawatt (MWp) have been installed on the roofs of 216 stations as part of the company’s commitment to run a safe, efficient, responsible, and profitable business. Exemplifying this, the current number of solar panels in the stations can generate 12,939 MWh of electrical energy, enough to power roughly 3,740 households in a year.
“At Shell, we aim to make the transition towards a low-carbon future possible for our operations and will always look out for initiatives that will enable us to provide cleaner and sustainable energy solutions for our customers. We have fitted 216 of our stations with solar panels and we will be progressing towards about 350 stations by the end of 2022,” said Seow Lee Ming, General Manager of Mobility Shell.
Green Building Index Certification
In 2019, Shell Damansara Jaya and Shell Taman Connaught were the first two retail stations in Malaysia to receive the Green Building Index (GBI) Certification. The GBI is the country’s industry-recognised green rating tool for buildings to promote sustainability in the built environment by saving energy and resources. These two Shell stations mark the first entries in the new retail fuel category introduced for the certification standard. The company is also the first in the Asia Pacific region to receive this GBI certification.
Shell also opened what is an example of ‘the station of the future’ – Shell Mint Hotel – which is Malaysia’s First Gold GBI Certified Petrol Station. Apart from being powered by solar, this station has sustainable features such as a food waste composting machine that converts food waste into fertilisers, energy-efficient air-conditioners and chillers, recycling facilities and a smart LED lighting system at the forecourt. To lessen the station’s usage of water from municipal systems, a rainwater harvesting system is utilised to collect and store rainwater to be reused in its facilities such as the toilets.
Shell has now received GBI certification for 5 of its stations in Malaysia. They are Shell Taman Connaught, Shell Damansara Jaya, Shell Mint Hotel, Shell Tangkak Lay-by and Shell Alor Pongsu.
The Shell Group has set a target to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society. This is also in line with the government’s ambition towards Malaysia achieving Carbon Neutral in the same year. By powering Malaysia with cleaner energy and innovation mobility solutions, Shell hopes to mobilise the energy sector and increase its efficiency by offering products and services with lower carbon emissions.
Shell has been in Malaysia for over 110 years, initially starting with exploration operations and then moving downstream to establish a nationwide network of retail outlets selling fuel and other products.
One of the brand’s oldest stations is in Penang and has existed since the 1920s, serving many generations of motorists on the island. With ambitions to preserve Penang’s living heritage whilst maintaining an important connection to the past, Shell has carried out restoration of the station and unveiled the new look recently.
The station has served the community through thick and thin, as exemplified by the station surviving World War II and witnessing Malaysia’s independence Situated along Penang Road in the Buffer Zone of the Penang Heritage zone, an area popular with tourists for its rich historical context, Shell Penang Road will be listed under the Penang Heritage directory, reflecting its significance as an important cultural landmark. Shell is collaborating with Penang Global Tourism to elevate Shell Penang Road as a tourist landmark.
“Shell Penang Road has been a part of Penang’s colourful history and heritage for 100 years, and I am pleased that Shell continues to preserve the heritage of this station while innovating to cater to all of its customers’ needs. I hope that this latest addition to the Penang Heritage zone will encourage Malaysians to visit Penang and support local tourism and businesses,” said Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang State Executive Councillor.
While the station’s new look retains elements of colonial architecture, it also embraces modernity within. The convenience store offers modern comforts for motorists and provides food, snacks and other services.
“As we evolve to meet our customers’ dynamic demands and needs, it is important to remember our roots and hold on to our core values. Shell Penang Road stands as a testament to Penang and Shell’s history in Malaysia, reflecting how far we have come together. This station truly reflects Shell’s commitment to continue providing the best for the communities that we operate in,” said Seow Lee Ming, General Manager, Mobility Malaysia and Singapore.
To commemorate the launch, Shell is offering BonusLink members a limited-edition Shell Heritage Jute Bag, which features Penang’s cultural elements. Exclusively available at Shell Penang Road, the Shell Heritage Jute Bag is redeemable with 1,200 BonusLink points. Customers who sign up to be a BonusLink member at Shell Penang Road will be able to purchase the bag for RM15 (while stocks last).
‘Range anxiety’ is a concern of those who drive battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which run only on electricity. Unlike vehicles with conventional petrol or diesel engines that can be refuelled at the thousands of stations around the country, a BEV requires a charging station to ‘refuel’ its battery pack with electricity. At this time, the network of charging stations is still being developed so there are not many (around 500) and most are in urban areas, especially in the Klang Valley.
Thus, for the owner of a BEV, going long-distance is something which sounds risky as you might run out of electricity in the battery pack and get stranded somewhere remote. Fortunately, battery technology is advancing all the time and battery capacities are increasing while BEV technologies are also increasing the distance that can be travelled. But still, range anxiety will be at the back of the motorist’s mind until such time when the network of charging station is visibly extensive and people know they are not far from a station.
Shell, together with Porsche Asia Pacific, have collaborated to set up a high-performance charging (HPC) infrastructure EV network along the North-South Expressway. This is a first in Southeast Asia and Shell’s first cross-country EV infrastructure in the region, enabling BEV owners to drive from Singapore up the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia to Penang and on to Thailand.
The establishment of this network is timely as the government is also promoting the use of BEVs. By allowing them to be imported and sold duty-free (and also exempting them from roadtax), it is hoped that adoption of BEVs will be faster. This means that the charging station infrastructure will need to grow quickly and this Shell/Porsche Asia Pacific initiative will contribute towards it.
The HPC network will have a total of 12 charging stations at 6 Shell stations along the North-South Expressway, two stations located in each of the states of Johor, Negri Sembilan and Perak. Porsche owners passing through Selangor will also be able to use the charging station at Porsche Malaysia’s showrooms at Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP) in Sime Darby Motors City in Ara Damansara and Sg. Besi (Kuala Lumpur). After Perak, they can use a charging station at a SDAP showroom in Penang.
The first HPC station located a Shell station near Tangkak, Johor, began operations today and will be followed by 12 stations at 6 Shell stations strategically located along the North-South Expressway. All the charging stations will have 180kW high-performance chargers which are capable of charging BEVs at super-fast speeds. This helps partially address the issue of long recharging times and in the case of the Porsche Taycan, a completely empty battery pack can be recharged to 80% capacity in around 30 minutes. This will provide a range of up to 390 kms although, like a combustion engine vehicle, the distance depends on driving conditions.
While HPC and its short recharging time is great, not all BEVs might be able to use it if they are not designed for DC rapid-charging systems. The newer models in the market will be designed with this capability but some of the older ones might not. Then there is also the issue of different charging connectors as the industry has not yet come to a common type. It would be nice if all BEVs had the same common connector like all computers have USB ports that are identical.
Although, for now, there may be places where BEV owners can just plug in their vehicle’s cable and get electricity without paying, it is still energy that has a cost and recharging will be just like refuelling petrol or diesel. With Shell’s Recharge HPC network, there is the option of a pay-per-use service or an exclusive membership plan by making reservations via an online booking app (ParkEasy).
The charges (shown in the chart below) start from RM20 or RM12 for every 5 minutes in the first 25 minutes of charging, depending on whether it is a pay-per-use service or with a subscription which costs RM835 a year. Those who buy a Taycan get a complimentary 3-year subscription with special benefits but still have to pay for their electricity at a rate of RM10 for 5 minutes during the first 25 minutes. There’s also a RM4 fee for each charging session.
How long a vehicle is recharged depends on the owner’s preference although it is unlikely that recharging will be from zero. Quite likely, the battery pack will be ‘topped up’ along the way to keep its capacity maximised. In this case, the charging time might not be long so the cost will not be high. Anyway, there are the Shell SELECT stores at the stations where drinks and snacks are available while waiting.
Those who purchase a Taycan (which is now available tax-free in Malaysia) will get a 3-year complimentary subscription to use the Shell Recharge HPC network at special rates as well as enjoy additional privileges.
We once took for granted the freedom of being able to drive wherever in the country we wanted to go, whether to balik kampung, have a holiday or just look for new eating places. And then came the Movement Control Order which stopped all interstate crossings as one measure to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Then we realised how much we missed the freedom of travel.
Now that the restrictions are lifted and we can go everywhere again, Malaysians are starting to travel for leisure again. Seemingly to celebrate this, Shell Malaysia is offering its customers RM5 Shell e-vouchers for BonusLink Points collected at Shell stations nationwide in the months of November and December 2021.
The ‘Every Little Point Counts’ campaign, as it is known, applies not just to fuel purchases but for every purchase made at Shell station nationwide. Customers can accelerate their BonusLink Point collection by getting their must-have road trip necessities at Shell stations. Be it big or small, every transaction at a Shell station earns BonusLink Points.
To participate, customers simply need to swipe their BonusLink card or use the BLINK app with any purchase and receive BonusLink Points. Once they accumulate 200 standard points, a RM5 e-voucher will be sent to them on the BLINK app or to the email address which is registered with BonusLink. The e-voucher can be used immediately at any Shell station in Malaysia. It can be redeemed for purchases from as low as 100 points. The Shell voucher for 200 standard BonusLink Points is given once in the month of November and December, respectively
If you do not already have a BonusLink account, you can sign up for one at any Shell station or use the BLINK app that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. First-time users will be rewarded with a RM4 Shell voucher and 100 BonusLink Points as a welcome offer.
Wherever Shell has been operating, it always cares about the communities around it and in Malaysia, Shell Malaysia has constantly been looking for ways to uplift local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In August last year, the company started its “Realisasi Impianmu Bersama Shell” programme to help local SMEs expand their reach with an opportunity to sell their products through the Shell Select stores located at the stations.
With Realisasi Impianmu Bersama Shell, Shell looks to partner with SMEs who supply snacks, confectionaries, non-alcoholic beverages, and ready-to-eat meals. The initiative is open for Malaysians aged 18 and above, and the selected SMEs will have the opportunity to promote their products at a national, regional, or specific site listing as decided by Shell.
The company has now announced an expansion of Select store offerings to include products from 29 selected entrepreneurs of the programme, alongside essential groceries available at the stores. Shell Select shelves in Malaysia are now stocked with a wider selection of snacks, confectionaries, non-alcoholic drinks, and ready-to-eat meals from the local SMEs, including Joe Flizzow x deli2go’s gourmet chicken burger, murtabak ayam with lava cheese, murtabak kambing and locally sourced pineapple juice.
In addition, customers can also find essential groceries such as flour, sugar, cooking oil, biscuits, sauces, sardines, noodles, coconut milk, and various beverages. In the spirit of Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day celebrations, customers can enjoy special promotions at selected Shell stations until the end of this month.
Shell has always opened its doors to local SMEs and provided them with an avenue to promote their products at Shell Select stores. ‘Realisasi Impianmu Bersama Shell’ will give Malaysian entrepreneurs an extra boost and the opportunity to scale up their businesses. In the month of October this year, Shell Malaysia will be participating in the Ministry of Domestic Trade, and Consumer Affairs Kempen Beli Barangan Malaysia to continue to help raise the economic prosperity of SMEs in Malaysia.
“We’re happy to welcome on board the entrepreneurs of ‘Realisasi Impianmu Bersama Shell‘. We currently have 29 local partners selected through the programme that are supplying their products to Shell Select stores, among which include newly appointed Shell Private Label local partners. This, ‘for Malaysians by Malaysians’ effort exemplifies our commitment to meet the daily needs of our community, which combine local SMEs’ innovative offerings and our extended essential groceries of quality and variety,” said Seow Lee Ming, General Manager Mobility, Malaysia & Singapore.
Ms. Seow also gave assurance that the well-being of customers is a No.1 priority for the company. “We strive to provide a safe and comfortable environment at our stations with strict SOPs while continuously improving our products and services in line with our commitment to make life’s journey better. Kita jaga kita,” he said.
Those who own and drive cars would be the best people to assess fuels, and the members of 10 car clubs in Malaysia have officially given their approval on the robust capabilities of Shell FuelSave 95. The clubs are Proton Ambassadors of Malaysia, Myvi Gen.3 Club, HR-V Club Malaysia, Civic FC Club Malaysia, Geng Alza Biru Malaysia, Vios Yaris Owners Club, Mazda 3 Owner Club Malaysia, Kelab AruzR Malaysia, Nissan X-Trail Club Malaysia and Volkswagen Club Malaysia.
The recommendation comes after numerous engagements the petroleum company has had with several car clubs since 2019 to test the difference of extra kilometres with Shell FuelSave 95. From the positive experiences, the car clubs jointly formalised their approval via an official recommendation.
“We are very particular about fuel quality because we understand how important it is to maintain engine cleanliness and optimise vehicle performance. Shell FuelSave 95 has always been our fuel of choice – we recommend it to peers, friends, and family because we have complete faith in its capabilities. We are thrilled to join hands with Shell Malaysia and look forward to collaborating with them,” said Mohd Affan Bin Mohd Aris, a representative from Myvi Gen.3 Club.
Major events planned
The unleaded RON95 Euro4M petrol will power over 50,000 car club members with an estimated drive of 75,000 kms accumulatively to showcase its ‘extra kilometres’ capabilities through specially curated drive events. These events will commence when the government’s COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Additionally, these events will allow members to provide immediate feedback on how the Shell fuel enhances their drive. The car clubs will also receive early access and first-hand trials to other new Shell products and services.
“Shell fuels are developed through decades of technological expertise, rigorous research and most importantly, our customers’ needs in mind. Not all fuels are created equal; this is why we are honoured to have so many passionate car experts choosing Shell FuelSave 95 for their cars as it reflects the confidence our customers have in our ability to continue delivering high quality fuels and extra kilometres,” said Shairan Huzani Husain, Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd Managing Director, during a virtual ceremony online this evening.
Special offer
To celebrate the official recommendation from the car clubs, Shell Malaysia is offering customers a 5% discount for RM30 and RM50 Shell vouchers exclusively on Shopee for 10 days (from August 13 – 22, 2021). This offer is limited to 2,000 codes per day.
Shell Malaysia and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Malaysia today hosted a virtual forum in conjunction with the launch of Shell Malaysia’s “The Tree, The Sky, The Sun: A Pathway towards Malaysia’s Carbon Neutral Future”.
The Tree, The Sky, The Sun tells the story of how Malaysia could reach for the sky – becoming carbon-neutral by 2065 – with its unique advantages of tree and sun. Shell’s story illustrates a technically possible yet challenging pathway for this country to meet the goal of the Paris Agreement to keep the rise in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with a stretch goal of 1.5°C.
Developed by Shell in consultation with key local stakeholders, Shell’s pathway forum gathered more than 1,500 participants and stakeholders from the government, private sector, media, academia, non-governmental organisations, and energy consumers. The launch also saw a roundtable discussion by the CEO Action Network, featuring energy leaders and representatives from Shell, The Ministry of Environment and Water, Climate Governance Malaysia, and Boston Consulting Group.
Becoming a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050
“It is exciting to see Malaysia having open and more transparent discussions on the true scale of the climate challenge and the actions needed for achieving carbon-neutrality. By publishing The Tree, The Sky, The Sun, Shell hopes to contribute to the national conversation about Malaysia’s energy transition and to the framing of the nation’s priorities in the run-up to COP26 and beyond. This is in line with the global ambition embodied in Shell’s Powering Progress strategy to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050,” said Ivan Tan, Chairman of Shell Malaysia.
“The Tree, The Sky, The Sun combines policy-making with science-based targets to help us all see the benefits and opportunities of a sustainable future more clearly. The support of everyone – from energy producers to energy consumers – will be critical for achieving the milestones described by Shell’s aspirational pathway. We hope today’s gathering will spur more informed conversations about how we can all contribute towards building a carbon-neutral energy system for Malaysia and the world,” explained Marco Winter, Executive Director of MDBC.
5 significant influences to moderate emissions
The pathway described by The Tree, The Sky, The Sun highlights 5 critical ‘increase levers’ that are likely to have the greatest influence on moderating carbon emissions in Malaysia. These levers are: 1) the increase in forest acreage and density; 2) the introduction and gradual increase in the carbon price; 3) the emphasis on energy efficiency; 4) the greater push for electrification; and 5) a more widespread use of renewables, especially solar energy.
Solar has become the country’s single largest source of energy, as coal has been phased out. Factories like this one in Selangor make substantial use of solar energy which is available in abundance with our tropical sunshine.
Shell’s aspirational pathway reveals that the Malaysian energy system of 2065 will look significantly different from today. The economy-wide transformation required to achieve a carbon-neutral state will be underpinned by carbon pricing, or the external cost of carbon, which is phased in starting from 2026, the commencement year of the 13th Malaysia Plan (2026 – 2030). This drives reallocation of capital and resources toward low-carbon and energy-efficient choices.
Renewable energy sources to dominate by 2065
By 2065, renewable sources of energy will dominate a deeply electrified energy system. Solar has become the country’s single largest source of energy, coal has been phased out, while the remaining natural gas in the energy mix acts primarily as a means of supporting the use of renewable energy sources. Biofuel has displaced oil as the preferred liquid fuel for transportation and is used increasingly to meet the demand of difficult-to-electrify sectors such as aviation and shipping.
Reforestation of Malaysia’s land mass can capture up to 29 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Gains in energy efficiency lead to a marginal increase in the country’s final energy demand, despite healthy economic growth during this period. Any remaining emissions from the energy system are removed by nature or technology – reforestation of an additional 5.8% of Malaysia’s land mass can capture up to 29 million tonnes of CO2 each year, effectively bringing forward Malaysia’s carbon-neutral date by 15 years to 2065.
Major shift required
Ultimately, the point at which Malaysia achieves carbon-neutrality depends on how aggressively these levers discussed are pursued in steering the economy towards a more sustainable post-pandemic recovery. Other pathways are possible and depend on societal and policy preferences, but a major shift in how society produces and consumes energy is required to limit the rise in global temperature and address the risks of climate change.
Crucially, it will take robust policy frameworks and more open public engagement to create societal support for action and enable the development of lower-carbon solutions and green technologies. Strong collaboration across government, business, and society will be crucial to make progress at the pace required for Malaysia’s energy system to be carbon-neutral by 2065.
Almost every day, there’s news about the electrification in the auto industry, if not the introduction of a new electric vehicle (EV). The industry, especially in Europe, has fast-tracked plans to move existing model fleets from using internal combustion engines to either hybrid or fully electric powertrains. Some companies even plan to stop selling vehicles with combustion engines before the end of this decade.
But there are also some companies that will look for a balance in the rush to electrification, focussing more on overall carbon neutrality (which can address climate change) for their entire operations, rather than just the products alone. Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, is one of those who feels that the rush to switch to zero emission vehicles is too excessive, demands massive investments and will damage the industry in some ways.
Whole world won’t ‘electrify’ at the same time
While governments are forcing the corporate hands of the carmakers to make the changes and cut emissions from vehicles, there will still be models with combustion engines on sale for a while. We don’t know yet how fast the infrastructure to support EVs can be developed and grow because, in some places, it doesn’t even exist yet. In Malaysia, for example, the number of recharging stations already set up is really just ‘a handful’ and an absence of a coherent policy to encourage sales and use of EVs has yet to be formulated.
While motorists in regions like Europe are steadily switching to electric vehicles, there are many millions elsewhere in the world who will continue to use vehicles running on fluid fuels for many more years.
So while some carmakers may feel that they can get by (in future) selling just EVs, there will be some who will still be developing models with combustion engines for the rest of this decade at least. Engineers can still push emissions down further to meet stricter regulations and a new generation of fuels will also help in this respect.
Renewable low-carbon fuels
These are renewable low-carbon fuels and following on from R33 Blue Diesel which has been around since 2018, Bosch, Shell, and Volkswagen have now come up with low-carbon petrol. Their new fuel, called Blue Gasoline, similarly contains up to 33% renewables, ensuring a well-to-wheel reduction in carbon emissions of at least 20% per kilometre driven. This means a fleet of 1,000 VW Golf Mk.8 1.5 TSIs alone could save more than 230 metric tons of CO₂ per year, assuming an annual mileage of 10,000 kms each.
Shell will offset the remaining carbon emissions from the use of Blue Gasoline through certified offset arrangements. The initial plan is to make the fuel available at regular filling stations over the course of the year, starting in Germany.
“On the road to climate-friendly mobility, we must ensure we don’t leave any technical opportunities untapped, starting with electromobility and ending with renewable fuels. Every bit of CO₂ we save can help us achieve our climate targets,” said Dr. Uwe Gackstatter, President of the Bosch Powertrain Solutions division.
“Blue Gasoline is another building block in the effective reduction of CO₂ emissions from the vehicle fleet. Blue Gasoline’s high storage stability makes the fuel particularly suitable for use in plug-in hybrid vehicles. In the future, the expansion of the charging infrastructure and larger batteries will mean that these vehicles predominantly run on electrical power, and thus that fuel may remain in the fuel tank for longer periods of time,” explained Sebastian Willmann, Head of Internal Combustion Engine Development at Volkswagen
Highest standards set for fuel quality and sustainability
Blue Gasoline fuel complies with the EN 228/E10 standard and even exceeds it in key parameters such as storage stability and boiling behaviour. High-quality additives also keep the engine extremely clean and protect it against corrosion. This means not only that the fuel can be distributed via the existing filling station network, but also that it can be used in all new and existing vehicles for which Super 95 E10 petrol has been approved.
The proportion of up to 33% 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.
Low-carbon fuels at Bosch company stations
In the Blue Gasoline project, the three partners jointly defined the fuel specification to be achieved, taking into account engine requirements and sustainability. They put the product they developed through intensive testing on engine test benches and in trial vehicles – with consistently positive results. Bosch has begun supplying Blue Gasoline at its company filling stations for the past month, with other stations scheduled during for rest of 2021.
The supply of conventional Super 95 E10 petrol will then be gradually phased out. Since the end of 2018, R33 Blue Diesel has been the only diesel fuel that Bosch company filling stations offer for company cars and internal delivery vehicles. R33 Blue Diesel is also becoming available at more and more regular filling stations in Germany. At present, it is offered at 8 filling stations belonging to different brands nationwide, with more set to follow.
Not a substitute for electromobility
For Bosch, renewable low-carbon and carbon-neutral fuels will not replace electromobility but complement it. In principle, the use of these fuels makes sense in all modes of transport, but especially in those for which there is as yet no clear and economical path to electrification. In addition to ships and aircraft, this applies primarily to heavy goods vehicles and existing vehicles, but also to the millions of vehicles with internal combustion engines or hybrid powertrains that are on the world’s roads today or will be built in the coming decades.
To promote rapid market uptake for these fuels, the focus is on renewable biomass and synthetic fuel components that can be blended into regular fuel in high proportions in line with existing fuel standards.
