Continental has now successfully conducted tests on a synthetic fuel called oxymethylene ether (OME) using prototype vehicles. This includes the Super Clean Electrified Diesel vehicle presented earlier this year, which operates even more cleanly using an OME admixture.
Overall, road tests have confirmed that diesel fuel containing 15% OME admixture for current diesel engines is already a technically safe and viable possibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is possible because CO₂ generated as exhaust gas in power stations or steel works can be used in the production of OME.
“Synthetic fuels do not only contribute to CO₂-neutral mobility; OME produces almost no soot when burned. Continental is therefore actively promoting vehicle technology for the use of synthetic fuels. Our objective is to create a transition phase in which normal driving does not contribute to climate change.
“We have made good progress with OME for diesel applications. The economic production of fuel is one of the central challenges,” said Dr Oliver Maiwald, head of technology and innovation in the Continental powertrain division.
August 9, 2017
