The Fuel Lubricants Efficient Engine Technology (FLEET) Consortium, led by KAUST and the Oil Sustainability Program (OSP), celebrated their achievements for the year 2022/23 at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s campus, and welcomed two key industry players as new partners to its fold on Tuesday.

The FLEET Consortium’s 2022 partners Aramco, Bahri, Pacific Green Technologies, SAPTCO, and Toyota joined KAUST and the Oil Sustainability Program (OSP) to celebrate the year’s achievements which include pioneering the practicality of hydrogen fuel cell electric buses as an efficient path towards a cleaner public transportation system in Saudi Arabia via these zero-emission vehicles.

As well as successfully integrating renewable e-fuels with traditional fossil fuels which will cut down the carbon footprint of everyday journeys. The unique Consortium bridges the gap between industry leaders, academic experts, and government entities to enable a cleaner mobility sector.

OSP Senior Engineer Zainab Nasif stressed that OSP aims, with its FLEET partners, to diversify the mobility sector by advancing technologies and exploring avenues to improve fuels in transportation by encouraging the experimentation of fuel blend [NZA1] [AAW2]. She emphasized that OSP works to enable bridging the gap between research and end-users to accelerate its development and application.

FLEET co-founders Profs. Mani Sarathy and Aamir Farooq from KAUST’s Clean Combustion Research Center (CCRC) expressed their pleasure at the successful completion of all six projects in the first cycle. Prof. Sarathy said, “From evaluating the feasibility of methanol-to-gasoline production and utilization in Europe, to experimenting with fuel blends and running a case study in Saudi Arabia using hydrogen-fueled buses, it's been a busy year for us.”

Ferrari, a brand synonymous with automotive excellence, and Luberef, a leader in lubricant refining, are the newest members to join FLEET's mission in the year 2023/24. Their collaboration will further propel our Consortium's goals of redefining the future of sustainable transportation.

Ernesto Lasalandra, Ferrari Chief Research and Development Officer said, “We welcome the opportunity to join FLEET Consortium, with its focus on enhancing fuel and engine design to improve the environmental and economic competitiveness of its members. On Ferrari’s path to carbon neutrality by 2030, we value innovative frameworks such as this to share competencies and experiences. Being a FLEET member facilitates our objective to explore technologically neutral solutions related to fuels and lubricants”.

Waleed Murad, director sales and marketing, “Luberef is privileged to be a part of the FLEET consortium, we feel proud of our commitment towards research and development and also in the development of human capital and new technologies supporting KSA V 2030.”

Established in collaboration between OSP and KAUST, FLEET is a Consortium that enhances fuel and engine design. FLEET’s collective mission is to improve the economic and environmental competitiveness of the transportation sector by merging the strengths of academia, government, and manufacturing; FLEET is driving a greener future for mobility worldwide. — SG