Clariant, Haltermann, and Mercedes-Benz are testing a 20% cellulosic ethanol blend, Sunliquid®20, mixed with conventional fuel components at Mercedes-Benz BlueDIRECT petrol engines. Specification of the fuel reflect potential European E20 fuel quality.

Over the next twelve months, test fleet vehicles can be refilled with the new fuel at a specially equipped gas station on the Mercedes-Benz site in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim. The cellulosic ethanol comes from Clariant’s sunliquid® demonstration plant in Straubing, where approximately 4 500 tons of agricultural residues such as grain straw or corn stover are converted into cellulosic ethanol each year. The ethanol is blended with conventional gasoline at the Haltermann plant in Hamburg.