Applications
Individual mobility
In Europe, car traffic accounts for the largest share (43%) of traffic-related CO₂ emissions and therefore also the largest savings potential. Various developments ensure that these emissions will decrease in the future.
Different concepts
Battery electric vehicles are an efficient alternative, especially for short distances. In contrast, the development of hydrogen and gas (CNG) propulsion systems has been somewhat sluggish. However, all these alternatives have a significant disadvantage: CO₂ reduction will only be achieved by vehicles put into circulation in the future. A reduction in emissions from the existing fleet can only be achieved by e-fuels.
e-fuels offer impressive solutions with the following key benefits.
e-methanol in the fuel cell or internal combustion engine
- Blending of e-methanol with conventional gasoline
- Start of production of the first large-scale plants is being planned
- e-methanol is the simplest and most cost-effective e-fuel
- Methanol fuel cell is close to market readiness
- Engine technology is already available for methanol propulsion
- Existing transport and storage solutions can be used
e-diesel and e-gasoline in the internal combustion engine
- Can be used in existing fleets
- Can be blended with fossil fuel in any ratio
- No investments in alternative drive concepts
- Existing transport and storage solutions can be used
Existing infrastructure
e-diesel and e-gasoline in particular offer several advantages. Not only do they make it possible to use existing infrastructure and drive technology, but also, by mixing the admixture to fossil fuel in any ratio, they allow e-fuels to be phased in step-by-step. In this way, CO₂ emissions can be gradually eliminated at a reasonable cost.
From a technology-neutral standpoint, a combustion engine powered by e-fuels has a comparable CO₂ balance to a battery electric drive and is therefore a good alternative for certain applications.