As indicated previously, Malaysia is set to raise the biodiesel blend rate in Peninsular Malaysia from B10 to B15 starting from tomorrow, June 1. The implementation will see B15 biodiesel, comprising 15% palm methyl ester (PME) and 85% petroleum diesel, replacing the existing B10 blend of 10% PME, at no additional cost to the end user, Bernama reports.
The new biodiesel blend will be produced by 19 licensed production plants, which have a combined monthly capacity 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 end stop for the fuel, as there are plans to progress it to B20 and B30, with the potential to reach B50 into the future. As stated by deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last month, the blend rate will be increased in a phased fashion, according to market suitability and industry capabilities.
Ahead of its rollout, the government assured diesel vehicle users that there are no compatibility issues arising from the use of biodiesel up to 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, the use of biodiesel should not cause damage to vehicles. “The government made it mandatory in 2020 for engines and vehicles to be compatible with B20, which means the industry was given sufficient time to prepare,” he said.
This holds true for newer diesel vehicles, with most capable of running biodiesel up to B20, as revealed by a slew manufacturers when we reached out to them on questions regarding compatibility with the new blend. Here are their responses.
Isuzu
Isuzu Malaysia indicated that in the case of its D-Max pick-up, all variants beginning from 2020 have already been adapted to handle up to B20, which covers every vehicle that is currently enjoying the manufacturer’s warranty.
Mazda
Bermaz Motor said that all variants of the Mazda BT-50 (basically, running Isuzu’s 1.9 litre and 3.0 litre units) are able 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 remains covered under the applicable manufacturer warranty.
It did however add that the use of B20 biodiesel may result in reduced acceleration and overall driving performance, and said that the fuel filter warning light may illuminate earlier when operating on B20 biodiesel due to the nature of the fuel.
Separately, the company said that for Mazda models equipped with the Skyactiv-D engine, such as the CX-5 and CX-8, the use of B20 biodiesel is not advisable. As stated in the owner’s manual, only B7 diesel is permitted for Skyactiv-D engines, as the use of 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 in the owner’s manual, although it added that B7 would provide optimum performance.
This was the same response issued by Kia, which reiterated that its oil burners (Carnival, legacy Sorento) are compatible with up to B30 biodiesel. but recommended that the engines be refuelled with Euro 5 B7 grade biodiesel.
Ford
Sime Darby Auto Connexion said that all 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 remains fully intact when using B20 biodiesel.
For older-generation Ford diesel models (2.2 litre and 3.2-litre Duratorq), the vehicles were originally certified for up to B10 biodiesel only. To ensure compatibility with B20 diesel, these models must be fitted with an upgraded fuel filter system using a genuine Ford part. The company said the upgrade is primarily intended to prevent fuel system clogging and to maintain optimal engine performance when operating on higher biodiesel blends.
As these older-generation models are no longer covered under the standard manufacturer warranty, Ford will not provide warranty coverage for B20-related concerns on these vehicles, even after the upgrade. It advised customers to refer to their vehicle owner’s manual or contact an authorised Ford dealer to confirm compatibility specific to their model year and variant.
Mitsubishi
According to Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, the 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 is recommended to use B7, with the owner’s manual not recommending the use of B20.
However, it is worth noting that Mitsubishi Motors Thailand indicates that the older mill is compatible with B20, so presumably the fuel can be used, with the caveat of more frequent fuel filter changes being undertaken.
Nissan and Toyota
Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) did not respond to our queries regarding the B20 compatibility of Navara models. While the YS23DDTT 2.3 litre mill available in 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 similar to the YS23’s), which has been around for a bit. While indicators suggest that the new B15 blend should be usable, it’s probably best to check with authorised Nissan dealers on its compatibility.
Likewise the case with UMW Toyota, which did not respond to our query on the matter, sent twice. Still, it’s established that the GD series mills (2.8 litre 1GD-FTV and 2.4 litre 2GD-FTV) on the current Hilux line-up (and Fortuner) will be able to handle B15 without any modifications.
Indeed, as early as 2019, Thailand’s department of energy stated that Hilux and Fortuner diesel models from 2015 on could be fuelled with B20 without any conditions. Those with older models (before 2015) are advised to check with dealers, or use B7 to be safe.
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