The Volvo Group showed a truck equipped with a DME engine for the first time last week. DME (Dimethyl ether) is an LPG-like fuel that can be produced from biomass and residual products from paper pulp production. "DME offers major benefits environmentally and we believe that DME can be an excellent fuel for future commercial transports," says Leif Johansson, Volvo’s CEO.

The truck was unveiled in conjunction with the conference on biofuels, Synbios, which was held in Stockholm from 18th to 20th May. The vehicle, a standard Volvo FM model, is equipped with a 9-litre diesel engine adapted to operate on DME. Volvo’s own studies have shown that in the future DME has major potential to become a highly competitive alternative to today’s fossil fuels. One of the most significant arguments for DME is that today it is the alternative fuel with the highest energy efficiency and among the lowest in emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide (NOx) and other particlulate matter.

"We know that in 20 years, alternative fuels will successively become increasingly commercially viable," says Volvo CEO Leif Johansson. "Energy efficiency will become decisive and DME is truly an energy efficient fuel. A result of this energy efficiency is lower environmental impact and reduced operating costs."