HVO100 - Is the driving ban for standard diesel now coming?
On 22 March 2024, the German Federal Council gave its approval for the authorisation of climate-friendly pure diesel fuels. The beacon of hope of this new era is HVO100, short for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil. This fuel, which is produced from the conversion of vegetable oils or recyclable waste materials, is to be available at German filling stations from 13 April 2024.
While the Mobil in Deutschland e.V. automobile club speaks of a revolution at the petrol pump and describes HVO100 as a "game changer" in the fight against fossil fuels, the introduction of this new fuel also raises a number of questions and concerns.
Will the new fuel make it easier to enforce driving bans on diesel engines? The answer to this is anything but certain. Because although HVO100 is significantly more environmentally friendly than conventional diesel - it produces up to 90 per cent fewer greenhouse gases and is virtually free of sulphur, oxygen and aromatics - it remains a combustion fuel. It will therefore continue to contribute to air pollution and health problems, albeit to a lesser extent. However, conventional, dirtier diesel could soon be banned in low emission zones to encourage more people to switch to HVO100 or electric vehicles. It seems unrealistic that the government could enforce such a ban without encountering massive resistance. After all, millions of people in Germany are dependent on their diesel vehicles and not everyone can or wants to afford a new vehicle. Nevertheless, it would be possible.
Once HVO100 is accepted and widely used, the government could levy an additional tax on HVO100. This could well be the case, as the government is always on the lookout for new sources of revenue and electric vehicles do not pay petrol tax on their electricity. However, such a tax could also lead to people switching back to conventional diesel, which would again increase the environmental impact.
Although the introduction of HVO100 is a step in the right direction, it still leaves many questions unanswered. Let's hope that HVO100 will actually help to reduce the environmental impact of road transport. Until then, however, it remains a fuel with a lot of potential, but also many unknowns.