Move over, EVs: Porsche is making 'nearly carbon neutral' eFuel

David Linklater
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Photos / Supplied

Photos / Supplied

Porsche has started production of "eFuel" in partnership with a company called Highly Innovative Fuels (HIF) in Chile. The Haru Oni pilot plant was opened on December and Porsche executives performed a ceremonial fill of a 911 with the new synthetic fuel, which is made from water and carbon dioxide, using wind energy.

The company says its eFuel "enables the nearly CO2-neutral operation of petrol engines".

“Porsche is committed to a double-e path: e-mobility and eFuels as a complementary technology," says Barbara Frenkel (above left), member of the Executive Board for Procurement at Porsche. "Using eFuels reduces CO2 emissions. Looking at the entire traffic sector, the industrial production of synthetic fuels should keep being pushed forward worldwide."

“The potential of eFuels is huge", says Michael Steiner (above right), member of the Executive Board for Development and Research. "There are currently more than 1.3 billion vehicles with combustion engines worldwide. Many of these will be on the roads for decades to come, and eFuels offer the owners of existing cars a nearly carbon-neutral alternative."

In the pilot phase, production of around 130,000 litres per year is planned. Initially the fuel is to be used in "lighthouse projects" such as the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and at Porsche Experience Centres. Following that, the first scaling will take the project in Chile up to a projected 55 million litres per year by the middle of the decade. Around two years later, the capacity is expected to be 550 million litres.

For context, a 2021 EECA report put New Zealand's petrol use at just over 3000 million litres per year.

The south of Chile was chosen for its weather conditions, with the wind blowing for around 270 days a year, enabling the wind turbines to operate at full capacity.

Punta Arenas is also located close to the Strait of Magellan. From the port of Cabo Negro, the synthetic eFuel can be transported just like traditional fuels all over the world, using existing infrastructure.

Porsche has stated it's working towards a CO2-neutral balance sheet across the entire value chain by 2030. This also includes a CO2-neutral usage phase for future all electric models. Synthetic fuels supplement Porsche's electromobility plans and are categorised as part of its sustainability strategy.

An HIF Fuel plant is also planed closer to home, in Australia. The Tasmanian plant will begin construction in 2024 and is set to produce 100 million litres by 2026.