Evaluating Alternative Fuels for Light-Duty Applications

The Technical Research Centre of Finland has carried out tests evaluating the emission performance (regulated and unregulated) of alternative fuels for light-duty applications for the International Energy Agency (IEA). Several technologies were tested under varying environmental conditions using the same methodology.

Altogether 14 light-duty vehicles on gasoline, diesel, alcohol and gaseous fuels were tested, and the number of test combinations (vehicles/fuels/temperatures) was 143.

The differences between all fuel alternatives using three-way catalyst (TWC) technology (and also diesel) are rather limited. However, when temperature is lowered and also unregulated emissions are considered, the situation changes somewhat. The gaseous fuels come out as winners giving by far the lowest overall emissions.