E-fuels could be 50% costlier & still pollute, says new study

E-fuels could cost up to 2.80 euros per litre (US$ 11.50 per gallon), which is 50% more expensive than the current petrol prices in Germany.

The European Parliament recently gave in to Germany's & a few other countries' demands to exempt e-fuels from the upcoming 2035 ban on CO2-emitting vehicles. However, a new study claims that the energy-intensive production process of e-fuels could make them expensive and more detrimental to the environment.

As per reports, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) conducted a study which showed that e-fuels could cost up to 2.80 euros per litre (US$ 11.50 per gallon), which is 50% more expensive than the current petrol prices in Germany.

Since it is mostly high-end carmakers like Porsche & Ferrari who are trying to have e-fuels exempted from the EU's plans for the future, critics took the example of a Porsche Cayenne to explain the cost. As per reports, it would cost 210 euros (US$ 228) to fill a 75-litre fuel tank of a Porsche Cayenne once.

Critics further mention that due to the enormous energy required for production, along with the need to import it from abroad, e-fuels could become extremely expensive for everyday drivers. They argued that e-fuels would likely only help rich people to continue driving their performance cars. This undermines the proposed benefits of e-fuels - decarbonising the existing fleet of ICE-powered vehicles. Critics went on to state that while e-fuels could be used as a stop-gap to help lower emissions of vehicles already on the road, treating them as alternates to EVs could ultimately derail the continent's environmental goals.

Reports also stated that while e-fuels do have lower emissions when compared to traditional petrol and diesel fuel, their use in IC engines still leads to the production of CO2 and NO2.

Alex Keynes, Clean Vehicle Manager at Transport & Environment stated, "Ultimately, e-fuels will be no more than a niche solution for Porsche drivers."

Source: CarScoops