Starting this year, Porsche will supply teams competing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series with synthetic fuel, also known as e-fuel.
While carbon dioxide is emitted when the fuel is burned, the generation of the fuel absorbs CO2 from the air, making the process carbon-neutral.
The fuel is sourced from the Porsche-backed Haru Oni pilot plant in Chile, and is produced using wind-generated electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then combined with CO2 captured from the air to produce synthetic methanol, which in turn forms the basis for a final gasoline-like fuel.
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup is a one-make race series built around the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car. There are 32 cars in the 2024 season, and each will run on e-fuel for the eight rounds planned in Europe this season. Porsche said around 13,200 gallons of e-fuel will be required.
2024 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car being filled with e-fuel
Each of the eight rounds will coincide with a round of the Formula 1 World Championship. F1 also plans to switch to switch to a sustainable fuel like e-fuel in 2026, when new power unit rules will be introduced.
Porsche has been testing e-fuels in the Mobil 1 Supercup series since 2021, in partnership with series sponsor ExxonMobil, though previously blended fuel that was only partially synthetic was used.
While it continues to push ahead with electric cars, Porsche has become quite bullish on synthetic fuels. Porsche engineer Frank Walliser said in 2021 that cars running on e-fuel could have lower overall emissions than EVs (once emissions from manufacturing are factored in). He also said all of Porsche's current internal-combustion engines could use synthetic fuel without modifications. The automaker has also floated synthetic fuels as a way to keep classic cars on the road in the face of tougher emissions standards.
