Sugarcane diesel tests yield positive results in Brazil

It has been reported auto manufacturer MAN Latin America has completed tests on diesel made from sugarcane.

The company is believed to have performed over 500 hours of testing on Euro 5 engines within four Volkswagen Constellation trucks and another two Volkswagen model 24280 vehicles. All six ran on 100% sugarcane diesel throughout the month of June in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

In a statement MAN claims it saw a decrease in the levels of NOx emissions, black smoke and particulate matter by 15%, 42% and 77% respectively.

Buses in Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo have been running on sugarcane diesel for some time and the feedstock is being touted as offering a ‘new frontier’ by many in the region.