German automaker Audi is known for its pioneering work when it comes to diesel powertrains. More so than that the company also leads the field in terms of the pursuit of cleaner fuels (you can read about other projects here)
Last week Audi, along with partners Sunfire and Climeworks, created a carbon-neutral diesel that was produced from water and air. Sounds a bit far-fetched, doesn’t it?
Basic science, not science fiction
The process starts with electrolysis, which is used to break steam down into hydrogen and oxygen. In the next step, the hydrogen is placed into a chamber with carbon dioxide (sourced directly from the atmosphere) at high temperature, which creates a liquid hydrocarbon called “blue crude.”
According to Audi, blue crude has a chemical composition similar to crude oil, and it can be refined into a sulfur-free, diesel-grade fuel dubbed Audi e-diesel by the manufacturer.
No idle threat
And to prove that the end-product is a viable/real fuel Audi took 5,0 litres of the synthesised and filled it into car of German education and research minister Johanna Wanka, who then drove off powered purely by Audi’s e-diesel.
“If we can make widespread use of CO2 as a raw material, we will make a crucial contribution to climate protection and the efficient use of resources, and put the fundamentals of the green economy in place,” she said.
Sunfire said its plant is set to produce more than 3 000 litres of the Audi e-diesel over the coming months.