In 2024, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup will run exclusively with potentially nearly synthetic eFuels for the first time. The raw fuel comes from the Haru Oni pilot plant in Chile and is produced ready-for-racing through a so-called blending process. The final product allows the 911 GT3 Cup vehicles that make up the field to compete potentially almost CO₂-neutral. In the previous three years, a second-generation bio-based, partially synthetic fuel mixture was used in the sports car manufacturer’s top one-make series. Porsche now takes the next systematical step with this flagship project.
The racing cars, which, unlike their production counterparts, are equipped with manually programmed engine control units, will have an adapted software version installed before the event.
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup once again runs exclusively as part of the support programme at eight European Formula 1 races this year. The season gets underway with the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna in Imola on 19 May, and concludes also in Italy, this time in Monza on 1 September. During the season, the total fuel requirement for up to 32 Cup vehicles is around 50,000 litres.
eFuels are generated from renewable hydrogen and carbon dioxide from the air thanks to the use of renewable energy. This initially creates eMethanol, which, taken one step further, is then converted into synthetic raw gasoline. The Haru Oni project, located in Patagonia, obtains the energy for this process from wind power. At this location, wind is plentiful and inexpensive. The carbon dioxide currently comes from a biogenic source. In the future, it will be extracted directly from the atmosphere in an environmentally friendly manner using an innovative direct air capture process (DAC). Porsche is working on a “proof of concept” DAC system with the Volkswagen Group, its trusted eFuel partner HIF Global and MAN Energy Solutions. The aim is to show that the process can be implemented industrially.
eFuel (or electro-fuel) refers to synthetic fuels that are produced using renewable energy and do not rely on fossil resources. These synthetic fuels can usefully complement electromobility, especially for existing vehicles. Porsche has already invested over US$100 million in the development and production of eFuels. The company plans, builds and operates eFuels plants in Chile, Uruguay, the US and Australia.
Source: Porsche
