Trucking

Heavy duty with a lighter CO2 footprint

Moving the world’s goods with fewer emissions

Heavy duty with a lighter CO2 footprint

Hitting the road and out for delivery

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. One step in the journey toward lowering emissions is to ship the millions of metric tons of goods delivered to our doorsteps using lower-emission fuels. For ExxonMobil, that journey starts in the lab, where researchers work to develop more efficient lubricants, cutting-edge biofuels and lower-emissions fuels that helps drive industry.

Delivering fewer emissions

ExxonMobil’s Synergy Diesel Efficient Fuel can deliver a 2 percent increase in fuel economy — an incremental improvement with a big impact. That may not seem like a lot, but take a look at how much that is when applied to a global fleet.

On the road

Each year 5 trillion ton-miles of freight move along the U.S. transportation system.

Fueling deliveries

Trucking accounts for 22 percent of transportation energy use.

Demand growth

Total trucking volume increases from 10M tons in 2012 to 14.8M in 2045.

Energy on the move

Petroleum supplies 91 percent of energy use for transportation.

Open roads and camelina rows

ExxonMobil recently expanded its agreement with alternative fuels developer Global Clean Energy to purchase renewable diesel made from camelina seed. The engine-ready fuel will be partially derived from camelina, a plant that does not displace food crops and has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The collaboration with Global Clean Energy is just one example of how we look for ideas that can be scaled in real-world applications. With that vision, more trucks could be running on fuel that emits fewer CO2 emissions.
gas tank infographic animation

Innovate, invest and reinvest

There are many ways to reduce emissions from transportation, which means there are many opportunities as well. In Canada, for example, our affiliate Imperial Oil is advancing plans to produce renewable diesel at its Strathcona refinery in Edmonton. They’ll use plant-based feedstock and hydrogen with carbon capture and storage (CCS) to help offset emissions during operation.

Here's a look at that new venture

What it could mean for decarbonizing transportation in the future.

  • 20K barrels per day of renewable diesel

    with an anticipated start date of 2024
    20K barrels per day of renewable diesel 20K barrels per day of renewable diesel

  • 3M metric tons of emissions annually

    the reduction of emissions possible in Canada with this renewable diesel
    3M metric tons of emissions annually 3M metric tons of emissions annually

  • 650K passenger vehicles off the road for one year

    that’s the equivalent of cutting 3M metric tons per year.
    650K passenger vehicles off the road for one year 650K passenger vehicles off the road for one year

  • 500K metric tons of CO2 annually

    that’s the amount of CO2 captured by CCS during the renewable diesel production process.
    500K metric tons of CO<sub>2</sub> annually 500K metric tons of CO<sub>2</sub> annually

A deeper dive

From farm leftovers to biofuel

Imagine turning agricultural leftovers into low-emission biofuel. That is, taking plant parts like inedible cornstalks and fueling our cars, trucks, boats and planes. ExxonMobil and its partners at Clariant and Genomatica are working together as part of an ambitious research program to do just that.

Trucking Energy Factor • Feb. 13, 2020

From petri dish to pond: Algae farming, in pictures

Researching algae takes science, sunshine, some very large ponds and the right kind of algae. Scaling algae production to have the technical ability to produce 10,000 barrels of algae biofuel a day is an ambitious target.

Shipping Energy Factor • Aug. 2, 2019

Patrick Hanks: Algae engineer

If you had told me a few years ago that one day I’d be farming algae with the hope of creating a reliable, low-emission energy source, I probably would have been a little skeptical. But that’s exactly what I do. I’m a chemical engineer, and my job, like every engineer, is to solve problems for a better future.

Shipping Energy Factor • July 22, 2019

Partnering with outside minds to transform energy

To meet the world’s ever-growing energy demand and reduce the risk of climate change, ExxonMobil is forging research partnerships across industries and academia. Two areas of focus include the development of low-emission biofuels and of cost-effective carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.

Shipping Energy Factor • June 28, 2019

FAQ: Is natural gas the fuel of the future, TODAY?

A natural gas-powered train or bus or truck? And what about a cargo ship cruising on liquefied natural gas (LNG)? They all exist.

Automotive Energy Factor • Feb. 15, 2019

Farm-fresh fuel

The science behind converting farming or plant leftovers into next-generation, lower-emission biodiesel could one day transform how heavy-duty drivers fill their tanks

Trucking Energy Factor • Jan. 23, 2019

Sunrise to sunset: 24 hours at an algae farm

At a research farm nestled in Southern California’s Imperial County, Viridos, Inc. (formerly Synthetic Genomics, Inc.) and ExxonMobil are cultivating acres of energy-rich algae. Their goal: Have the technical ability to produce 10,000 barrels a day of low-emission algae biofuel.

Trucking Energy Factor • Dec. 4, 2018

The next steps for next-generation biofuels

Don’t underestimate the potential energy in an algae pond or a pile of cornhusks. ExxonMobil is working to create the next generation of biofuels: energy sources that are sustainable and literally green.

Trucking Energy Factor • Oct. 2, 2018

A very special truck

One challenge with wind power is how to maintain, or access, the turbines generating the electricity. The truth is that a lot of wind farms are located in wind-swept, hard–to–reach regions, making routine maintenance anything but.

Trucking Energy Factor • June 28, 2018

Carrying the brand

What better way to chart the history of an energy company than by the vehicles that carry its cargo? The company that started out as Standard Oil experienced a decades-long period of growth, ultimately forming today’s ExxonMobil.

Trucking Energy Factor • Jan. 11, 2018