Biofuels, a complementary alternative to fully electric trucks and the development of hydrogen technology.
While everyone agrees that tomorrow's sustainable transport will require a shift away from fossil fuels, technological solutions are not limited to the production of vehicles powered by electricity or hydrogen. Manufacturers are preparing their combustion engines for new types of synthetic fuel, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a latest-generation fuel that can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90%. HVO is made from waste and fats from the food industry. It is currently the most sustainable fuel on the market, with zero impact on food production. HVO can be used 100% directly in diesel vehicles without any changes to engine settings, performance, fuel system or maintenance procedures.
It was against this backdrop that we were asked by major truck manufacturers to integrate an optical scanner for real-time analysis of the fuel used. The brief was to develop a reliable solution that would guarantee the legislator the exclusive and irreversible use of 100% pure biofuel without mixing it with any fossil fuel.
ID FUEL: Merging two areas of expertise: SP3H and ELECTRO
SP3H: The FluidBOX micro sensor
SP3H, a company based in Aix-en-Provence, has drawn on its past experience in the oil industry to develop a miniaturised solution for analysing molecular structures using near infrared technology, enabling real-time mapping of the quality of fuels and fluids. After 18 years of Research and Development, €22m of investment and the filing of more than 90 patents in 16 countries, this technology has reached maturity and the FluidBOX micro sensor is the technology chosen by more and more manufacturers.
ELECTRO: ATLAS Connect interface for its HYPHEN TECH brand
HYPHEN TECH integrates the FluidBOX micro sensor into the vehicle to guarantee exclusive use of a biofuel in accordance with government recommendations.
For over 45 years, ELECTRO has been providing technical equipment for transport and handling professionals. A premium distributor of the leading brands of on-board parts and equipment, ELECTRO offers a wide range of connected solutions under the Hyphen Tech brand (www.hyphentech.fr).
The mobility market is an exciting and constantly evolving sector. The world of transport today is a connected world. That's why ELECTRO has created the HYPHEN TECH brand, specialising in innovative solutions to simplify and secure the use of the increasing number of on-board equipment.
A member of BPI Excellence since 2009 and of the FFC Equipementier since 2021, HYPHEN TECH is determined to bring its expertise to the transport industry.
ID FUEL: A universal and versatile solution
The ID FUEL kit consists of 3 elements:
- 1 FuidBOX micro sensor
- 1 Atlas Connect universal interface
- 1 ready-to-install harness
ID FUEL is universal and can be installed on all EURO VI standard heavy vehicles fitted with a bodywork box. Already approved by UTAC for new vehicles from major truck manufacturers, the device is an effective solution for the retrofit market.
The versatile SP3H FluidBOX micro sensor is compatible with 100% of biofuels. This means total freedom of choice for distributors and producers.
ID FUEL: An effective solution for sustainable road transport
The urgency of the climate challenge means that we must leave no stone unturned in our efforts to decarbonise more quickly, and biofuels have their rightful place in tomorrow's energy mix. European legislators must harmonise their regulations and give greater consideration to clean fuels, such as HVO, with a view to reducing CO2 emissions. The environmental impact of the technical solutions before us must be analysed as a whole, i.e. from well to wheel and over the vehicle's life cycle, not just from tank to wheel.
