DaimlerChrysler’s commitment to alternative fuels described
DaimlerChrysler, the world’s largest truck manufacturer, joins the multitude of automakers dedicated to helping alleviate the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. At the National Biodiesel Board Annual Conference, Deb Morrissett, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for Biodiesel, persuades the growing biodiesel industry to continue its commitment to developing a natural standard for B20, as automakers are focusing their attention on developing and producing The vehicles they will use run on alternative fuels.
The challenge of creating a national specification for biodiesel is issued by Morrissett while claiming that doing so would accelerate the adoption of biodiesel. He added that doing so would also help leverage and direct the various research and investment efforts aimed at developing such an alternative fuel. He said biodiesel should have a national fuel specification just like other fuels. “I’m looking forward to the time when anyone can refuel with B20, but we are not there yet,” he added.
Morrissett also encouraged the industry to be vigilant as the company intends to leverage its leadership in diesel engines for the future to come. They would do this with the help of their partners like Cummins. As a sign of the company’s dedication to producing vehicles that run on more environmentally friendly fuel, they have unveiled their Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 vehicles that come equipped with a 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine. This engine can run on B5 and B20 biodiesel. These vehicles will be available on the market in March of this year.
The company’s dedication to reducing dependence on fossil fuels is not limited to the use of clean and efficient diesel engines, but it is also one of the automakers that is developing the use of alternative fuels in its vehicles. A concrete example of this is the use of B5 fuel in its Jeep Liberty and Jeep Grand Cherokee models. Both vehicles are approved for regular use of B5 biodiesel fuel. Additionally, your 2007 Dodge Ram can run on B20 biodiesel fuel and can be used for commercial, government and military fleets.
His support for the alternative fuels industry doesn’t end there, either. The company plans to develop and produce cars that will be equipped with efficient gasoline engines, hybrid cars, flexible-fuel vehicles that can run on gasoline and alternative fuels such as bioethanol, electric vehicles, and a test fleet of more than 100 vehicles powered by fuel cells.
Their commitment to producing flex-fuel vehicles will see them produce 250,000 flex-fuel vehicles that can run on E85 fuel, a fuel that is a blend of gasoline and bioethanol. The 85 in E85 represents the percentage of bioethanol in the fuel, which means that E85 is 85 percent bioethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The flex-fuel vehicles to be produced by DaimlerChrysler can also run on conventional gasoline efficiently. The company aims to double the production of its FFV fleet to 500,000 units by 2008. The two trucks already meet emission standards to be implemented in 2010 and this simply shows the company’s dedication to making its trucks more than just high-performance vehicles, but also safe just like the EBC brake pads.
During the conference, Loren Beard, Fuel Policy, Regulation and Legislation Manager, along with Scott Schramm, Technical and Regulatory Affairs Manager, also discussed engine warranty issues, OEM experience with alternative fuels, and how to deal with the new regulations. The National Biodiesel Board Conference was held on February 5 in San Antonio, Texas.