Across the US on one tank of Neste NExBTL renewable diesel
12 June 2015
A team of motorsport enthusiasts will attempt to drive from the Atlantic Coast of Florida to the Pacific Coast of California on just one tank of Neste NExBTL renewable diesel 21-26 June 2015.
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Neste’s NExBTL renewable diesel can replace petroleum diesel on a drop-in basis due to having the same chemical properties as the ultra-low sulfur diesel. It can also reduce carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional diesel by as much as 90% over its lifecycle. NExBTL is fully compatible with all diesel engines and delivers better performance because it has higher cetane and burns more completely than petroleum diesel.
Neste provides NExBTL renewable diesel to US refiners, blenders and fuel distributors. NEXBTL is also available to consumers at retail stations in Northern California.
The Guest Champion in Across the USA challenge is Tanner Foust, four-time X Games gold medal winner, three-time U.S. Rallycross champion and two-time Formula Drift champion. Other drivers are Pat O'Keefe, Vice President of Golden Gate Petroleum and owner of CLP Motorsports; Luke Lonberger, an experienced motorsports driver and General Manager at CLP Motorsports; and Michel von Disterlo, a lead mechanic at CLP Motorsports.
The car is a Superlite Coupe (SLC) that is custom-built by CLP Motorsports. It has the aerodynamics necessary for maximum efficiency at speed, which is enhanced by a lightweight aluminum monocoque chassis and fiberglass body. The SLC has all of the handling of a race car, but it is street legal and is powered by a modified Volkswagen 1.9-liter TDI diesel engine.
The SLC car will drive across the United States on Interstate 10, the fourth-longest transcontinental highway in the US—2,460.34 miles. It runs through eight states, starting in Atlantic Beach, Florida, and ending on the Pacific Coast in Santa Monica, California.
Very interesting solution to reduce fossil fuel dependence and greatly reduce GHG and some pollution.
Since Germany will soon produce large quantities of liquid fuels with surplus/excess RE energy, that very same solution will probably be used by VW, BMW and Mercedes in the not too distant future.
Coupled with PHEV technologies, using improved lighter batteries, it may have a bright future?
Posted by: HarveyD | 12 June 2015 at 10:53 AM
"Across the US on one tank" - and no mention of how big the tank is.
Posted by: ai_vin | 13 June 2015 at 07:27 AM
My '04 Passat TDI could go close to 800 miles on a tank. It would also take a 55 gallon drum in the back seat with room left over. So, one tank to go from Jacksonville FL to San Diego, CA... no problem.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 13 June 2015 at 06:21 PM
Look at the car - it is all down to the car.
I bet you could do the same with normal diesel.
Why don't the see how far they get in a Golf blue motion or an Audi A3 or A4?
Any idea how much this fuel costs ?
Posted by: mahonj | 14 June 2015 at 11:20 AM
Why so much effort? Just go to the next Mini dealer.
http://www.spritmonitor.de/en/detail/643136.html
3.01L/100km --> little bit more than 75mpg.
This guy was driving a Skoda Fabia (first gen) 1.9TDi over about 700.000 miles before... with 65mpg over the whole distance!
http://www.spritmonitor.de/en/detail/104416.html
Posted by: kminrom | 15 June 2015 at 12:35 AM