Existing car engines seem to handle e-fuels just fine, so let the blending begin! But according to the Brussels compromise, e-fuels may only be used for new cars with combustion engines. That’s how it is.
According to the Brussels compromise, e-fuels, provided they are produced using green energy, may be used for new cars with combustion engines. On the condition that they can only fill up with e-fuels, and not traditional petrol or diesel.
But more importantly, the millions of existing ‘fossil’ vehicles can also run on synthetic fuel without engine modifications. This would make even your classic Beetle or Duck a lot more environmentally friendly.
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E-Fuels in the Netherlands: A Huge Impact
Even if we only look at the Netherlands, a massive switch to e-fuels could have a huge impact. There are currently less than 400,000 fully electric cars driving around here. According to the government, there will be approximately 1.9 million in 2030. With a passenger car fleet that remains the same in numbers (8.9 million on January 1, 2023), there are still 7 million (partly) fossil vehicles.
If they all run on CO2-neutral fuel, that will certainly be better than the current situation. Let alone if all the vans, trucks and buses are added. Because they should also do well on e-fuels, while electric motors hardly seem to be an option in the heaviest vehicle classes.
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The Importance of E-Fuels According to BMW CEO
According to BMW CEO Oliver Zipse, with a European fleet of 260 million existing – largely non-electric – vehicles, it is a must to start working with e-fuels in the short term. If only by mixing it into regular diesel and petrol.
Tests by the ADAC (German sister organization of the ANWB) and various car manufacturers have shown that existing engines can cope well with this, while the exhaust gases become less polluting.
Moreover, with the same energy density, there were no measurable differences in consumption, range and CO2 emissions at the exhaust, part of which was therefore previously extracted from the air. Mixing 10, 30 or 50 percent e-fuels with conventional fuel would therefore significantly reduce CO2 emissions from road traffic.
Another advantage is that you can fill up with (partly) synthetic fuel at existing filling stations. A new infrastructure is therefore not necessary.
Previous posts in our four-part series on e-fuels:
1. Background: What are e-fuels and why are they great?