The Stellantis group has carried out conclusive tests on the compatibility of its current thermal engines with e-fuels, these synthetic fuels which could allow manufacturers to still sell thermal cars after 2035 in Europe.
Stellantis is in turn rushing into the breach of e-fuels. The automotive group has announced that it has started testing synthetic fuels on its carspresented as a serious lead for maintaining combustion engines in new car sales after 2035.
A fuel of the future?
The manufacturer with 14 brands (Peugeot, Fiat, Citroën, Opel, Jeep, DS, etc.) is currently carrying out large-scale tests on around thirty of its gasoline and diesel engine families. The goal? Check their compatibility with e-fuels by scrutinizing in particular the ability to start the engine, the dilution of the oil or even the durability of the tank with this new fuel.
According to Stellantis, these tests are conclusive, even if synthetic fuels still raise some questions.
“Synthetic fuels still have a few technological barriers to overcome, in terms of demonstrating that they are completely carbon neutral, in terms of costs (…) but it is one path among others”, underlines Carlos Tavares, Managing Director of Stellantis.
Germany, European engine
Last March, Germany had obtained that synthetic fuels be taken into account in the European strategy for reducing CO2 emissions. The authorization to register these vehicles with thermal engines using e-fuels will be included in what is called a delegated act, ie a separate proposal which will be submitted to Parliament for a vote in a few months.
“We have seen the power of Germany in the European decision-making process”, acknowledged the boss of Stellantis.
“We have already checked at Stellantis that our engines are compatible with these fuels, so anyone who buys a car from Stellantis today can be reassured that the engines of these cars will be compatible with these fuels” , added Carlos Tavares.
The representative of a competing automotive group told BFM Business that it was quite logical for current engines to be compatible with e-fuels, because it is precisely the principle of these synthetic fuels to be able to operate on current technologies. .
28 million cars affected
For the boss of Stellantis, who has always been very critical on the choice of 100% electric “only” from 2035 in Europee-fuels represent an attractive alternative.
“The merit of this (e-fuels) proposal is that it reminds us how valuable it is to preserve regulation that is technology-neutral, so that all the best technologies compete and that the best, that is to say the one which protects the planet and which represents the lowest cost for the citizens, is the one which is finally chosen”, estimated Carlos Tavares.
In total, 28 million cars of the brands owned by Stellantis could run on e-fuels, according to the manufacturer. This could potentially reduce CO2 emissions in Europe by 400 million tonnes between 2025 and 2050. At the same time, Stellantis is also continuing to massively electrify its range and is also accelerating its hybrid offer.
