Different opinions on the adoption of e-fuels are held by German automakers, who are renowned for their elegance and performance. While the CEO of Mercedes-Benz claims that the Volkswagen Group’s plans, which include Porsche, will heavily rely on synthetic fuels, the CEO of Audi claims that “technically superior” EVs will be preferred over ICE vehicles operated by e-fuels.
E-fuels are artificial fuels created from hydrogen produced from CO2-free power, such as wind or solar energy, and captured carbon dioxide emissions. The objective is to make these emissions carbon neutral by absorbing the ones that might otherwise have been emitted into the atmosphere.
However, some form of carbon remains necessary to make e-fuels, and this carbon is primarily obtained from fields of oil and gas. The fact that they are still utilised to power internal combustion engines and produce just as many hazardous emissions as fossil fuels is more significant.
Germany protested the EU’s proposed prohibition on new internal combustion engines (ICE) vehicles in 2035 earlier this year, but the commission eventually reached an agreement to accept e-fuels as a “climate-neutral” fuel source.
With varying opinions on synthetic fuels, a number of German automakers have openly talked about adopting e-fuels and electric vehicles in the future.
German automakers are split on the usage of e-fuel against EVs
Ola Kallenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, reiterated the company’s ambitions to concentrate on electric vehicles (EVs) earlier this week, telling a German publication that the company will continue to favour better electric motors versus internal combustion engines propelled by e-fuels.
Kallenius asserted that electric vehicles (EVs) have advantages in terms of power efficiency, calling them “technically superior” and “sensationally good” and highlighting the fact that EVs can outperform e-fuels because they produce no emissions.
Electric mobility is still an emerging technology in contrast to the internal combustion engine, he added. We still see a lot of room for advancement: prior to the end of this decade, the electric drive will outperform internal combustion engines in terms of performance.”
Markus Duesmann, CEO of Audi, a fellow German luxury automaker, also expressed his opinions on the EU’s prohibition on ICE vehicles and the usage of e-fuels in an interview with the German publication WELT.
Duesmann clarified that even though Audi will phase out ICE cars by 2033, the carmaker would still provide customers with a variety of drive systems, adding that,
“The entire number of ICEs currently on the road must use e-fuels in order to become carbon neutral. The only carbon reduction technology we are aware of for aviation and maritime transportation is e-fuels. Porsche’s present e-fuels prototype plant in Chile is proving that this technology is effective inside the Volkswagen Group.”
Despite Volkswagen brand president Thomas Shafer saying combustion engines will be obsolete by 2035 and that e-fuels are “unnecessary cacophony from my point of view,” this has happened.
Shafer continued, “We don’t have sufficient energy as it is, therefore why squander it on e-fuels.” He noted that e-fuels won’t replace EVs.
E Auto Arena’s Opinion
E-fuels at this moment are just noise, as Shafer and Kallenius both point out. The process of making e-fuels is expensive and energy-intensive. Additionally, it continues to encourage the production of fossil fuels and extends the time that automakers can keep producing gas-powered vehicles.
It makes much more sense to fund the development and manufacture of zero-emission EV technology than it does to waste the money invested in e-fuel research and development.
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