In operation for the past three years, the truck has been running exclusively on B100 biodiesel on a daily logistics route between São Paulo state and the Port of Santos, without any modifications to its engine.
The truck makes a daily journey of around 520 kilometers from the Friboi JBS (NYSE: JBS) plant in Lins, São Paulo, to the Port of Santos. The route covers several types of terrain, including mountainous sections with steep climbs and descents. According to the company, the model maintains high efficiency and stability, with no engine failures or component wear reported.
Throughout the tests, the biofuel demonstrated compatibility with the vehicles used and good mechanical performance, with no need for corrective maintenance on the engine.
The vehicle is tested with a container trailer, and the company is exploring expanding the operation to the transportation of live cattle, broadening the application of the fuel across different logistics operations.
Innovation at JBS
The project was implemented by TRS and Biopower, both companies within JBS’s New Business division. Biopower also produces the B100 biodiesel used to power the truck.
B100 is produced from waste generated during cattle processing and used cooking oil, reflecting JBS’s circular economy strategy and its efforts to maximize the use of resources across its operations.
According to Alexandre Pereira, Commercial Director at Biopower, the milestone reinforces the potential of biodiesel as an alternative for the decarbonization of freight transportation in Brazil.
“The results show how B100 connects the circular economy with the decarbonization of logistics. We produce biodiesel from renewable feedstocks from JBS’s own supply chain and use it in a real-world operation, demonstrating its potential to reduce emissions in heavy-duty transportation,” Pereira said.
Biodiesel Adoption in Brazil
Recently, Brazil’s National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) announced deregulation of voluntary biodiesel consumption above the standard quota.
Since August 2025, all diesel in Brazil has been using a 15% biodiesel blend (B15) as part of the country’s policy, but the regulation remained restrictive for suppliers seeking to use biodiesel above this quota.
Experiments such as JBS’s B100 operation demonstrate the potential of expanding biodiesel use beyond B15, while also highlighting how circular economy practices can be integrated into corporate logistics and contribute to reducing carbon emissions.
Based on the methodology of the GHG Protocol Brazil, from Fundação Getulio Vargas, the use of B100 provides a reduction of up to 99% in CO₂ emissions compared with conventional diesel. According to JBS, considering the fleet’s entire operation, the initiative has already avoided approximately 1,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent, a volume comparable to removing 232 passenger cars from the roads for one year.
Márcio Salaber, Director at TRS, highlights that the experience was decisive in validating the use of 100% biodiesel in road transportation:
“We did not notice any difficulties in operating the fleet powered by B100 during any phase of the test. In the evaluations conducted throughout the project, including in partnership with automakers, we found that the truck delivered satisfactory performance, with no increase in fuel consumption or recorded failures,” Salaber said.
