Holden New Zealand has welcomed Gull’s ability to sell a new blend of E85 bio-fuel in New Zealand for the first time.
Gull opened its first pump selling Gull Force Pro E85 fuel in Hamilton on April 14 and it is expected to increase the number of sites throughout the country as demand grows for this.
Holden’s energy and environment director Richard Marshall says the E85 ethanol-blend fuel would be suitable for use in the 3.0 litre V6 and V8 models in the latest Holden Commodore VE Series II range.
“In a major step towards creating a cleaner fuel landscape, VE Series II customers who purchase models powered by 3.0 Litre SIDI V6 or 6.0 Litre V8 engines will be able to run their cars on this high ethanol blend fuel, which can reduce vehicle CO2 emissions by between 35-50 per cent when compared to petrol,” says Mr Marshall.
Gull Force Pro is a fuel blend of 85 per cent ethanol with 15 per cent petrol. While flex-fuel vehicles in the Series II range are capable of running on this fuel, they can also run on E10, unleaded, premium or any combination.
“The introduction of flex-fuel capability on Series II vehicles last year highlighted Holden’s position in reducing the impact of personal transportation on the environment.
“As part of our Eco-line strategy, we have a commitment to offering our customers a broad range of vehicles that use alternative fuel or fuel-saving technologies. These vehicles are designed to make motoring affordable as well as being better for the environment,” says Mr Marshall.
Holden has made modifications to its flex-fuel engines to enable them to run on unleaded, E10, premium, Gull Force Pro E85 or a combination of these fuels. These modifications include hardened valves and valve seats and the inclusion of a flex-fuel sensor, which gauges the alcohol content of the fuel and adjusts the calibration accordingly.
Ethanol-blended fuel is used in vehicles in Australia, the United States, Brazil and Sweden. In the US, GM is the global leader in flex-fuel vehicles, having produced more than 3.5 million of the country’s 7.5 million flex-fuel vehicles.