With the gradual shift in regulations away from carbon-heavy fuels like diesel and gasoline in favor of clean alternatives such as electric vehicles, many car enthusiasts are questioning the future of their personal car collections. If sourcing gasoline becomes increasingly challenging—or notably more expensive compared to the current situation—will owners of classic cars be able to continue enjoying their drives? And in case gasoline-run cars are completely prohibited, as some nations are endeavoring to legally establish, could they end up as stationary museum exhibits confined in tomb-like garage crypts?
One potential solution to this dilemma has been put forth by oil and gas companies concerned about their impending obsolescence in the transportation domain. These “e-fuels” (short for “electrofuel”), encompass various synthetic combustible substances that are produced through unconventional methods outside the realm of traditional petroleum refinement.
How do e-fuels function, and can they serve as a practical measure for preserving vintage cars amidst a rising trend towards electrification? The response to this query is intricate.
Carbon Neutral, The Lengthy Route
What renders e-fuels attractive when compared to conventional gasoline is their endeavor to significantly diminish the carbon emissions not just from their combustion in an engine but also during their fabrication process. It’s crucial to realize that e-fuels are not devoid of emissions since there is still carbon dioxide emitted when they are burned. Instead, they aim to be as environmentally ‘neutral’ as feasible by abstaining from introducing new CO2 into the atmosphere.
How is this achieved? The equilibrium is managed by extracting existing carbon dioxide from the surroundings and utilizing it in the production of the fuel itself. Some e-fuel facilities are devised to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide by employing fans and turbines to propel air into a filtration mechanism that captures and separates it. Others intend to utilize CO2 generated from other industrial operations, essentially preventing its release into the atmosphere initially.
After the carbon dioxide is harvested, it is combined with hydrogen to form the hydrocarbon elements of gasoline, avgas, and diesel, ultimately producing synthetic “drop-in” substitutes that can be burnt in a traditional internal combustion engine and utilized in automotive, marine, and aviation contexts. Some procedures opt to utilize the collected carbon dioxide to create methanol, which is later converted into gasoline.
However, this process is exceptionally energy-intensive, notably since the necessary hydrogen is obtained through electrolysis (a notably inefficient process). Moreover, to sustain its objective of carbon neutrality, every e-fuel production hinges on renewable energy sources like wind, hydro, or solar power.
What implications do all these details carry for vintage car owners? At first glance, e-fuels appear to provide a feasible avenue to preserve classic vehicles, as they address environmental concerns that are driving potential bans on gasoline-fueled vehicles.
Nevertheless, there are significant hurdles concerning e-fuel that lack straightforward resolutions. The primary challenges revolve around the energy demands inherent in its manufacturing process—almost 50 percent of which is dissipated during production—making burning e-fuel notably less efficient compared to directing a similar energy volume into an EV battery. In reality, tracking the progressThe transfer of power from the production phase to fueling an automobile demonstrates in this research that only 16 percent of the original electricity generated ends up propelling a vehicle’s wheels when utilizing e-fuel, compared to the 72% effectiveness for an electric car.
This lack of efficiency also significantly raises the price of e-fuel for consumers, as their energy requirements make production very costly. Currently, there is only one specific facility engaged in manufacturing this type of fuel on an industrial scale (established through a partnership with Porsche in Chile), and even with ample wind power access, no actual fuel is being sold to commercial clients (instead it is used in Porsche motorsports initiatives).
Furthermore, there is an issue with emissions. Numerous European cities already impose restrictions on their central areas to combat air pollution, and since e-fuels do not eliminate emissions, they cannot evade regulations specifically aimed at reducing vehicle exhaust.
A Practical Scenario For Vintage Vehicles
It seems unlikely that e-fuels offer a practical solution for steering the entire automotive sector towards a carbon-neutral future. There are far too many vehicles on the road to justify setting up a parallel synthetic gasoline production system that is highly inefficient and prohibitively expensive due to its energy-intensive properties. Additionally, renewable energy sources are not easily scalable to support a substantial e-fuel industry.
However, this does not rule out the potential role of e-fuels in future transportation. Aviation might be a more suitable market for synthetic fuels, considering the lack of progress in electrifying commercial aircraft. Even in ground transport, there will always be specific cases where a liquid fuel consumed by an internal combustion engine is preferable to a battery-powered alternative, and it is likely that a small-scale e-fuel sector could emerge to serve those willing to pay a premium.
Classic cars fall into this unique category. While mainstream transportation is transitioning to electric power, there are still many owners of classic cars, muscle vehicles, and retro models willing to go the extra mile to continue driving them. In essence, this mirrors the dedication of drag racers and track enthusiasts who ensure a steady supply of high-octane race fuel or ethanol. Nonetheless, the costs of ownership are likely to rise, potentially thinning out the population of those able to maintain an operable vintage car.
Similar to how horses transitioned from essential transportation to a hobby preserved by enthusiasts, older vehicles will continue running through the dedication and investment of their owners. Whether this entails converting to battery-powered systems or bearing the cost at the e-fuel pump will depend entirely on the owner’s situation, their location, and the pace at which these technologies progress in tandem.
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