Oil major ExxonMobil and automotive company Porsche have agreed to test new cleaner fuels under racing conditions.
Engineers and scientists have developed a blend of innovative biofuels called Esso Renewable Racing Fuel. This will be the first fuel to be put to the test in the 2021 and 2022 seasons of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, with the Porsche Motorsport team using it in its race vehicles.
The companies will also collaborate on developing new so-called e-fuels, which will be produced using captured carbon dioxide and hydrogen. ExxonMobil will also cooperate with Porsche in developing highly efficient lubricants, such as commercial vehicle oil, to help trucks and cars become more fuel efficient.
The intention is to progress to a second-generation of Esso Renewable Racing Fuel with e-fuel elements in the 2022 season. Hydrogen will be combined with captured carbon dioxide to create methanol, which will then be converted to petroleum using technology and support from ExxonMobil.
Michael Steiner, Porsche’s board member for Research and Development, said that while electrifying vehicles was the priority:
“E-fuels are a good complement to our powertrain strategy. They allow our customers to drive cars with conventional combustion engines as well as plug-in hybrids with significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. The collaboration with ExxonMobil enables us to test the e-fuels under demanding conditions on the racetrack.”
The upcoming e-fuel is expected to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions by 85%. The first-generation Esso Renewable Racing Fuel was tested in the Netherlands in March on the track at Zandvoort.
