The Rise of Synthetic Fuel
Synthetic fuel, also known as eFuel, synfuel, or synthetic gasoline, is a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels that’s gaining traction in the automotive industry. By capturing free carbon from the atmosphere and other sources, synthetic fuel can be produced in a way that’s nearly carbon-neutral and identical to petroleum-based gasoline. Companies like Porsche, Honda, and Mazda are already exploring this technology, with Porsche’s eFuel program being one of the most notable examples.
What Is Synthetic Fuel Made Of?
Synthetic fuel follows the same formula as traditional gasoline, but instead of refining the chemicals from non-renewable fossil fuels, it’s made by capturing free carbon from the atmosphere and other sources. In the case of Porsche’s eFuel program, the company partnered with HIF Global, which has successfully been making synthetic gas by electrolyzing hydrogen and oxygen from water, then combining it with captured carbon to create the requisite formula to run an internal combustion engine.
- Octane is a hydrocarbon with eight carbon atoms and 18 hydrogen atoms, which is a key component of traditional gasoline.
- Synthetic fuel, on the other hand, uses captured carbon from the atmosphere and other sources.
What Are Some Of The Sources Of Synthetic Fuel?
When it comes to tailpipe emissions, synthetic fuel is virtually identical to conventional gasoline, which might seem like an environmental nightmare at worst and a mere side-step at best. However, that’s where carbon capture comes into play. Porsche, through its partnership with HIF, uses a process called direct air capture (DAC) to snatch carbon molecules from the atmosphere, which are then used to create more eFuel.
- Honda’s DREAMO technology uses algae to passively capture hundreds of thousands of pounds of carbon at its manufacturing facilities.
- Mazda has been using seaweed to create synthetic fuels, although these are closer to biodiesel than replacements for gasoline.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Synthetic Fuel?
The most obvious advantage of synthetic gasoline is its closed-circuit carbon cycle. The production process scrubs carbon from the air and ocean, meaning whatever carbon your car emits will eventually be used to make more fuel. But that’s far from the only pro when looking at synthetic fuel.
- It’s compatible with any vehicle that runs on gasoline, making it a viable option for classic cars.
- It can travel in the same ocean tankers, get stored in the same underground fuel tanks, and dispense through the same pumps as petroleum-based gasoline.
However, synthetic fuel’s biggest disadvantage is that demand far outstrips supply. Porsche estimates that it will be able to produce 550 million liters of eFuel in 2026, which sounds like a lot until you learn that global gasoline demand exceeded 1.5 trillion liters in 2024. If Mazda, Honda, Hyundai, and other manufacturers researching eFuels could match Porsche’s output, that would still only represent a measly one-thousandth of the world’s gasoline use. Synthetic gasoline is also more expensive than regular petroleum-based fuel. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume suggests that if produced on an industrial scale, its eGas would cost around $7.57 a gallon – quite a bit more than average gas prices in the US.
Is Synthetic Fuel The Magic Bullet ICE Lovers Are Looking For?
Porsche and other companies have proved that synthetic fuel is a real possibility for ICE enthusiasts, both as a reason to keep internal combustion around in the future and a way to clean up the emissions of older gas-powered vehicles. The rate at which syngas production is accelerating means it could potentially be a commercially viable fuel sometime in the 2030s, putting it in a race against time with the European Union’s ICE restrictions slated for 2035. Did You Know: Europe’s 2035 combustion ban has leeway for the use of synthetic fuel, following lobbying by the German and Italian auto industries. However, when the concession was made, the EU stated that it was not viable in the long-term as the use of synthetic fuel did not seek to undo carbon emissions and would perpetuate a cycle of carbon neutrality rather than carbon reversal, which is the ultimate target. The EU also mandated that a car’s engine would need to detect the presence of synthetic fuel to prevent it running on non-synthetic gasoline. This may seem problematic given the chemical makeup of synfuel being identical, but Porsche already has a clever solution in the works that would use perfumes in the synthetic fuel and odor sensors in the engine. This technology would allow even older cars to be retrofitted to accommodate the legislation.
Conclusion
Synthetic fuel is a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels that’s gaining traction in the automotive industry. While it has its advantages, such as a closed-circuit carbon cycle and compatibility with any vehicle that runs on gasoline, it also has its disadvantages, such as high production costs and limited supply. As the technology continues to accelerate, it could potentially become a commercially viable fuel sometime in the 2030s. However, it’s unlikely to be the magic bullet that ICE lovers are looking for, but rather a viable option for those who want to keep their classic cars on the road while reducing their carbon footprint.