Ford approves use of cooking oil as fuel in Transit vans

HVO is on sale at selected fuel stations in Europe, mainly in Scandinavia and the Baltic states, where it can be offered in a pure form, or as a blend with regular diesel.

Ford has approved the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) in its Transit vans. This renewable diesel fuel is based on waste oils, including used cooking oil that can be sourced from restaurants and takeaways – and even kitchens at home.

The use of HVO – or renewable diesel – in place of conventional fossil fuels can contribute to improvements in air quality. Greenhouse gases can be reduced by up to 90 per cent compared with regular diesel; and vehicles run on HVO emit less NOx and particulates than other diesel vehicles because the fuel contains no sulphur, or oxygen, according to the Ford press release.

“Enabling our vans to run on fuel made from waste, including used cooking oil, may sound far-fetched but using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil is, in fact, a very real way in which Transit drivers and fleet operators will soon be able to help everybody enjoy improved air quality,” Hans Schep, general manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe.

HVO is on sale at selected fuel stations in Europe, mainly in Scandinavia and the Baltic states, where it can be offered in a pure form, or as a blend with regular diesel. If a vehicle runs low on HVO in an area where it is not offered for sale, the driver can fill up with conventional diesel – the fuels can mix in the tank without causing problems.