Mercedes Trial Use Of Biofuels During European Triple Header

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team recently released the details surrounding a trial of biofuels for European land freight during the recent FIA Formula 1 World Championship triple header.

Mercedes are driving to reduce their CO2 emissions further and achieve a verified status of Net Zero by 2030. A trial was conducted recently, that saw the team use biofuels in their sixteen Mercedes Actros Gigaspace race trucks, the recent trial was organised to give the team and others further understanding of the level of carbon saving and the positive impact that can be achieved by using biofuels.

The trial took place between the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa, the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort and the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, a distance of approximately fourteen-thousand kilometres. Mercedes’ analysis shows that after the trial has that the use of ‘HVO 100’ biofuel saved 44,091kg CO2 and reduced freight emissions by eighty-nine per cent.

HVO 100 which is short for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil is a 100% renewable fossil fuel-free product, which is obtained from vegetable oils, waste oils and fats. The use of HVO 100 is shown to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and reduce the impact of freight on local air quality by reducing NOx and particulate emissions.

Biofuels are already being used in motorsport, with Formula 1 introducing the use of E10 biofuels this year as part of the sport’s drive to transition into a 100% sustainable fuel model in F1 cars from 2026.

Mercedes’ Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff spoke about the trial and the aims in the future.

“Sustainability is at the heart of our operations. Trialling the use of biofuels for our land freight is another example of our commitment to embed sustainability in every decision we make and action we take.

“We aim to be on the cutting edge of change and hope we can make the adoption of sustainable technology possible as we are all in the race towards a sustainable tomorrow.”

Mercedes’ Sustainability & Environmental Manager Alice Ashpitel added more about the importance of becoming a sustainable team.

“We are committed to using our global motorsport platform to be leaders in the journey towards not just sustainable racing but a more sustainable future. The outcome of this trial with an 89% reduction in emissions is another example of our drive to become the most sustainable sports team and comes following a period of commitments from the team to invest in industry-leading sustainability strategies.”