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Twenty-eight million vehicles with the emblem of one of the 14 brands of the Stellantis group are prepared to switch from conventional fuels to synthetic ones, without the need to make mechanical changes. These are models in circulation on the Old Continent, equipped with Euro 6 engines, which the Franco-Italian-American group has been producing since 2014 and which, if they really began to be filled with electronic fuels, could reduce carbon dioxide emissions. (COtwo) in Europe by up to 400 million tons, in a period of 25 years, estimates the group led by the Portuguese Carlos Tavares.
According to Stellantis, no less than 24 engine families in this group are capable of consuming low-carbon e-fuels, and this was the conclusion reached after months of testing in various technical centers in Europe, using e-fuels supplied by energy. and the chemical company Aramco. The tests covered analysis of a number of elements, from tailpipe emissions to starting ability, engine power, oil dilution, tank, channels and fuel filters.without forgetting the behavior of the fuel in extreme temperatures.
“The results reinforce our view that synthetic fuel can be an immediate solution in existing vehicles. and that, when produced through a low-carbon route, can play an important role in reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector and supporting an orderly energy transition,” highlighted Amer Amer, chief transportation technologist in Aramco.
This company currently has two factories in operation that aim to explore the production of e-fuels., one in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with Neom Energy and Water Company, and another next door, in Spain. In Bilbao, Aramco has joined forces with Repsol to produce synthetic diesel and aviation fuel, while synthetic gasoline for passenger vehicles comes from Saudi Arabia.
For Stellantis, e-fuel tests do not represent an alternative to electrification. “Our priority is to provide emission-free mobility for everyone, with a focus on electrification,” highlights the engineering and technology director By Stellantis Ned Curic. The strategy of the group that brings together the former PSA and FCA has not deviated even one millimeter from this, but Stellantis welcomes all solutions that can reduce CO emissions.two. This is the case of e-fuel which, based on the life cycle of internal combustion models, could mean a reduction of at least 70% of CO emissions.two compared to burning fossil fuels.
“Replacing conventional fuels with electronic fuels can have a huge and almost immediate impact on reducing CO2 emissions from the fleet of vehicles in circulation.offering our customers an easy and economically efficient option to reduce their carbon footprint, in an option as simple as choosing a different pump at a gas station,” highlights Ned Curic.
Without petroleum, but with characteristics very similar to conventional diesel and gasoline, e-fuels result from a chemical process that combines hydrogen (H2) and COtwoH2 being the main difficulty in making this type of fuel a viable and competitive solution, since For the environmental impact of synthetic fuels to be relevant, it is essential that all the elements that make them up come from renewable energies.. and this process It represents, until now, an excessively high bill to be paid by the consumer.
Source: Observadora
