Stellantis, a global leader in the automotive industry, has taken a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions by enabling 28 million European vehicles, manufactured since 2014, to use advanced drop-in eFuel without any modification to their powertrains. After extensive testing at their technical centers across Europe, Stellantis has determined that 24 engine families are compatible with this innovative low-carbon eFuel.
Low-carbon eFuel is a synthetic fuel produced by reacting carbon dioxide (CO2), captured either from the atmosphere or industrial facilities, with renewable hydrogen. This breakthrough technology has the potential to slash carbon dioxide emissions from existing internal combustion engine vehicles by at least 70 percent on a lifecycle basis when compared to traditional fuels.
Ned Curic, Chief Engineering and Technology Officer at Stellantis, emphasized their commitment to reducing emissions: “Our priority is providing zero-emission mobility for all with a focus on electrification, while our collaboration with Aramco is an important and complementary step in this journey for existing fleets on the road. We are exploring all solutions to reinforce our ambitious strategy of becoming a carbon net-zero company by 2038. Drop-in eFuels can have a massive and almost immediate impact on reducing the CO2 emissions of the existing vehicle fleet, offering our customers an easy and economically efficient option to reduce their carbon footprint — one as simple as choosing a different fuel pump at the station, with no additional modification to their vehicles.”
This initiative was made possible through a collaboration with Aramco, a world-leading integrated energy and chemicals company. Stellantis tested surrogate eFuels provided by Aramco, assessing various aspects such as tailpipe emissions, startability, engine power, reliability endurance, oil dilution, fuel tank performance, fuel lines and filters, as well as fuel performance under extreme weather conditions.
Amer Amer, Aramco Transport Chief Technologist, expressed his enthusiasm for this collaboration: “The results of the testing reinforce our view that synthetic fuel can be a drop-in solution in existing vehicles, and when produced via a low-carbon pathway, it can play an important role in reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector and supporting an orderly energy transition.”
As part of its strategic plan, Dare Forward 2030, Stellantis aims to halve its carbon footprint by 2030 and ultimately achieve carbon neutrality by 2038. The adoption of low-carbon eFuels in up to 28 million European vehicles could potentially reduce up to 400 million tons of CO2 emissions in Europe between 2025 and 2050.
In parallel, Aramco is actively developing low-carbon synthetic fuels through two demonstration plants. In Saudi Arabia, Aramco and ENOWA are working to produce synthetic gasoline for light-duty passenger vehicles. In Bilbao, Spain, Aramco and Repsol are exploring the production of low-carbon synthetic diesel and jet fuel for automobiles and aircraft. Furthermore, Aramco is collaborating with motorsport teams and competitions to showcase the potential of low-carbon fuel as a drop-in solution to reduce carbon emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles.
This pioneering partnership between Stellantis and Aramco signifies a crucial milestone in the journey toward a sustainable and eco-friendly automotive future.