They may look like regular Toyota Hiluxes, but these vehicles pictured above could herald a revolution in modern fuel. They're all running on GTL diesel,a fuel developed in South Africa by local specialists Sasol Fuels in partnership with global fuel giant Chevron Texaco.
GTL stands for Gas To Liquid, which means that the fuel is created by refining diesel from natural gas. So what? So global natural gas reserves are vastly greater than global oil reserves, and GTL is more refined than diesel, means diesel engines can run with less noise and vibration and emit less NOx and CO2. So it's good all-round.
But not just yet. the GTL process is hugely expensive, which means that for now, GTL will be used only as a blending agent in regular diesel for high-end products like Shell's V-Power diesel. But the cars in the photo are part of a convoy of GTL-fuelled vehicles that made the trek from South Africa to Qatar, where Chevron Texaco has just established a huge GTL refinery. On the way, they reckon they emitted 200kg less CO2 than a conventional diesel-powered car would have. The future beckons?
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