Stellantis has announced that its diesel engine range now fully supports the use of "green diesel", produced from hydrotreated vegetable oil.
The company added that all Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesel engines of its brands are now compatible with eco-diesel, the only condition being that the cars have the "XTL" marking. It is noted that "eco-diesel" provides the same performance as conventional diesel fuel, but is obtained entirely from renewable sources.
The non-petroleum-based diesel was introduced in Europe in 2017, initially used by taxis and commercial vehicles. Its cetane number is higher, over 70, than mineral diesel (51), indicating that it burns faster and cleaner.
As it is not a fossil fuel, its use reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel, and NOx and particulate emissions are also significantly lower. Although CO2 is one of the ingredients used to produce it, it is either produced specifically for the job or extracted directly from the atmosphere.