As indicated previously, Malaysia is about to lift the biodiesel mix rate in Peninsular Malaysia from B10 to B15 ranging from tomorrow, June 1. The implementation will see B15 biodiesel, comprising 15% palm methyl ester (PME) and 85% petroleum diesel, replacing the prevailing B10 mix of 10% PME, at no additional cost to the top user, Bernama reports.
The brand new biodiesel mix might be produced by 19 licensed production plants, which have a combined monthly capability of 1.5 million litres, across the country. The switch to B15 (which was earlier said to segue in from an initial B12) isn’t the top stop for the fuel, as there are plans to progress it to B20 and B30, with the potential to achieve B50 into the long run. As stated by deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last month, the mix rate might be increased in a phased fashion, in accordance with market suitability and industry capabilities.
Ahead of its rollout, the federal government assured diesel vehicle users that there are not any compatibility issues arising from using biodiesel as much as B20 levels, following the implementation of standards supporting the fuel since 2020.
Back in April, economy minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said that with the standards made mandatory, using biodiesel mustn’t cause damage to vehicles. “The federal government made it mandatory in 2020 for engines and vehicles to be compatible with B20, which implies the industry was given sufficient time to arrange,” he said.
This holds true for newer diesel vehicles, with most able to running biodiesel as much as B20, as revealed by a slew manufacturers once we reached out to them on questions regarding compatibility with the brand new mix. Listed below are their responses.
Isuzu
Isuzu Malaysia indicated that within the case of its D-Max pick-up, all variants starting from 2020 have already been adapted to handle as much as B20, which covers every vehicle that’s currently having fun with the manufacturer’s warranty.
Mazda
Bermaz Motor said that each one variants of the Mazda BT-50 (mainly, running Isuzu’s 1.9 litre and three.0 litre units) are in a position to operate on B20 biodiesel, provided the fuel meets the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) Supplementary Position Statement (December 2016) specifications. When fuel that complies with these standards is used, the vehicle stays covered under the applicable manufacturer warranty.
It did nevertheless add that using B20 biodiesel may end in reduced acceleration and overall driving performance, and said that the fuel filter warning light may illuminate earlier when operating on B20 biodiesel as a consequence of the character of the fuel.
Individually, the corporate said that for Mazda models equipped with the Skyactiv-D engine, equivalent to the CX-5 and CX-8, using B20 biodiesel will not be advisable. As stated within the owner’s manual, only B7 diesel is permitted for Skyactiv-D engines, as using higher biodiesel blends may affect engine performance and warranty coverage.
Hyundai and Kia
Meanwhile, Hyundai Malaysia said that its diesel engines (Staria, legacy Santa Fe, Palisade etc) are compatible with B30 biodiesel, complying with EN16709 or ASTM D7467, as stated within the owner’s manual, even though it added that B7 would offer optimum performance.
This was the identical response issued by Kia, which reiterated that its oil burners (Carnival, legacy Sorento) are compatible with as much as B30 biodiesel. but beneficial that the engines be refuelled with Euro 5 B7 grade biodiesel.
Ford
Sime Darby Auto Connexion said that each one current-generation Ford Ranger and Everest models with 2.0 litre (single and bi-turbo) diesel engines are fully B20-compliant from the factory. For these vehicles, no modifications or additional fitments are required, and the manufacturer’s warranty stays fully intact when using B20 biodiesel.
For older-generation Ford diesel models (2.2 litre and three.2-litre Duratorq), the vehicles were originally certified for as much as B10 biodiesel only. To make sure compatibility with B20 diesel, these models should be fitted with an upgraded fuel filter system using a real Ford part. The corporate said the upgrade is primarily intended to stop fuel system clogging and to keep up optimal engine performance when operating on higher biodiesel blends.
As these older-generation models are not any longer covered under the usual manufacturer warranty, Ford won’t provide warranty coverage for B20-related concerns on these vehicles, even after the upgrade. It advised customers to consult with their vehicle owner’s manual or contact an authorised Ford dealer to verify compatibility specific to their model yr and variant.
Mitsubishi
In line with Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, the brand new sixth-generation Triton (with the 4N16 2.4 litre turbodiesel) can run B20 with no impact to the warranty. It added that for the previous fifth-gen Triton (with the older 4N15 2.4 litre unit), it’s endorsed to make use of B7, with the owner’s manual not recommending using B20.
Nonetheless, it’s value noting that Mitsubishi Motors Thailand indicates that the older mill is compatible with B20, so presumably the fuel may be used, with the caveat of more frequent fuel filter changes being undertaken.
Nissan and Toyota
Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) didn’t reply to our queries regarding the B20 compatibility of Navara models. While the YS23DDTT 2.3 litre mill available within the Thai market can run B20, current third-gen D23 Navara versions on sale in Malaysia utilise the older YD25 (in differing states of tune, the high output version just like the YS23’s), which has been around for a bit. While indicators suggest that the brand new B15 mix must be usable, it’s probably best to examine with authorised Nissan dealers on its compatibility.
Likewise the case with UMW Toyota, which didn’t reply to our query on the matter, sent twice. Still, it’s established that the GD series mills (2.8 litre 1GD-FTV and a couple of.4 litre 2GD-FTV) on the present Hilux line-up (and Fortuner) will give you the option to handle B15 with none modifications.
Indeed, as early as 2019, Thailand’s department of energy stated that Hilux and Fortuner diesel models from 2015 on may very well be fuelled with B20 with none conditions. Those with older models (before 2015) are advised to examine with dealers, or use B7 to be secure.
Seeking to sell your automobile? Sell it with Carro.
This Article First Appeared At paultan.org
