Skoda Ireland and Certa have launched a new joint campaign aimed at encouraging owners and would-be buyers of new diesel cars to use HVO biofuel to significantly lower their motoring carbon emissions.
As part of the awareness and promotional campaign, Skoda is providing buyers of its diesel models with a Certa HVO biofuel voucher of either €250 or €500 depending on the model of car purchased.
The promotion will apply to cars purchased in the month of March.
Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO ) biofuel is a relatively new fuel and is usually sold at a slightly higher cost than diesel. Certa currently has an offer which matches the price of HVO with that of diesel.
The company, which is part of DCC plc, has also announced plans today to introduce new HVO pumps at more forecourts throughout the country.
Certa says it is in the process of upgrading its network of 41 unmanned, pay@pump forecourts to offer HVO at all fuel pumps alongside other fuels.
HVO is currently available at Certa forecourts in Liffey Valley in Dublin, Lee Tunnel in Cork and Trim in Meath. Certa is planning to have seven more forecourts HVO-ready by the end of this year.
The forecourts planned to be fitted with HVO pumps are located in Dundrum, Tallaght and Finglas in Dublin, Maynooth in Kildare, Letterkenny in Donegal and Athlone and Mullingar in Westmeath.
As part of the campaign, Skoda will also run radio, social and outdoor ads effective immediately. The ads and the awareness campaign will seek to alert diesel motorists to the availability and benefits of HVO as an alternative fuel to diesel.
HVO is recognised by the Irish government as a 100 per cent replacement for conventional diesel with greenhouse gas reduction benefits.
HVO can be used as a direct replacement for diesel in a wide variety of fleet, plant and machinery equipment in addition to passenger cars. It can also be mixed with diesel in any ratio.
The performance of diesel engines using HVO is said to be near identical to when they are fuelled with diesel.
Skoda has also confirmed that all of its new diesel models will be HVO-ready and all diesel models manufactured from mid-2021 are HVO-ready.
