ExxonMobil and Porsche have begun testing synthetic fuel at the Zandvoort circuit in Netherlands and plan to continue use of the renewable racing fuel throughout the 2021 and 2022 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup racing series.
The lower-carbon fuel is being produced in the Haru Oni pilot-project plant in Chili that uses wind power to generate hydrogen that is combined with captured carbon dioxide to produce methanol. If the fuel proves successful, it could be used to keep traditional liquid-powered vehicles on the roads of the future, Porsche researchers believe.
“Analysis indicates the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a liquid fuel,” ExxonMobil and Porsche said in a joint news release. “The fuel will be tested in race conditions with Porsche’s high-performance motorsports engines during the 2021 and 2022 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race series.
“The eFuel is anticipated to achieve a greenhouse gas emissions reduction of up to 85 percent, when blended to current market fuel standards for today’s passenger vehicles.”
“The electrification of our vehicles is of highest priority to us,” Porsche board member Michael Steiner is quoted in the news release.
But, he added, “eFuels are a good complement to our powertrain strategy. They allow our customers to drive cars with conventional combustion engines as well as plug-in hybrids with significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. The collaboration with ExxonMobil enables us to test the eFuels under demanding conditions on the racing track.
“This is a further step towards making eFuels an affordable and lower greenhouse gas emission substitute to conventional fuels.”
If it’s methanol, it’s methanol. No need to test under demanding conditions. Now if it’s not methanol, that’s a different story.