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Feann Torr2 Sept 2019
NEWS

Porsche 911 could live forever

Porsche studying CO2 neutral synthetic fuels that could secure the future of combustion engines

The Porsche 911 has been around for more than 50 years – and Porsche reckons it'll be around in petrol-powered form for at least another 50.

That's the word from the Stuttgart sports car maker, which says the combustion engine is not an endangered species.

Not yet… Maybe never.

There's a strong belief within Porsche that its iconic petrol-powered boxer engines will continue to play their rhythmic, horizontally-opposed piston music for generations to come, with a little help from synthetic fuels.

As global emissions regulations hasten the development of zero tailpipe emission vehicles, such as electric and hydrogen fuel-cell cars, Porsche says the combustion engine could even make a revival if synthetic fuel technology becomes viable.

Markus Baumann, the development manager for boxer engines at Porsche, told carsales.com.au that it has researched vehicles that already run on a CO2-neutral synthetic fuel mix.

"Yes we already have cars [running on synthetic fuel]. And you can run old cars also -- you don’t have to make big changes," he said of new-generation liquid fuels.

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Synthetic fuels are not new, especially bio-diesel blends, but Baumann is talking about a new generation of fuel that could have a positive effect on internal combustion engines.

"Synthetic fuels made from the carbon dioxide in the air, and water and solar energy … if that technology works then we will see a revival of the combustion engines," he stated.

Baumann reckons that EVs are a smart move in densely popular urban areas where shorter journeys are the norm, but for drivers who travel longer distances synthetic fuel makes more sense.

"The question is how to store energy – you can store it in a battery or store it in a liquid.

"For sure it [battery EV] makes sense in big cities. You have to have zero emissions because the air is already so dirty, but to have a range over long distances, the best way to store energy is in a liquid.

"It's a better way than electric cars because the problem with the batteries… We will have a problem with resources and raw materials," he said, highlighting the rare-earth materials required to make energy-dense lithium-ion batteries.

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At present synthetic fuels are only produced in laboratories and are very expensive, but Audi – Porsche’s sister brand in the Volkswagen Group -- previously stated that Isooctane synthetic fuel could reach parity with regular petrol.

"You could industrialise the fuel," said Baumann. "You could supply a lot of cars with it."

Audi has been working with synthetic fuels for many years and formally announced its interest in 2015, working with French and German energy companies Global Bioenergies and Sunfire.

Made from a technique that combines hydrogen and carbon monoxide to create a sulphur-free, benzene-free, CO2-neutral synthetic fuel replacement for petrol that has a 100 octane rating (ideal for high-performance engines), Isooctane fuel is being trialled by Porsche to ensure its combustion engine legacy continues well into the future.

The Porsche engineer also pointed out that, unlike EV recharging stations, "We already have the entire infrastructure to supply all cars with a liquid fuel."

"I think there is a way [to do it]," he insisted. "It's a matter for the politicians to see which kind of mobility they push."

Porsche offers petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and, once the all-new Taycan sports sedan is released in 2020, full EV vehicles. Porsche has committed to releasing a 911 PHEV, but Baumann said each model has its own fuel strategy and EV tech simply won't work with every model.

Despite stricter CO2 emissions regulations coming into force and the banning of combustion vehicles in major cities over the next decade, it begs the question – how long will the iconic Porsche 911 remains faithful to its heritage of petrol-powered boxer engines?

"As long as legislation allows for combustion engines we will use it,” he said.

"These are our most emotional engines. As long as we can find a technological way and a business case for cars like that, we will try and stay on this road," he said.

"That's the reason why I don't think the end of the combustion engine will come. It's the opposite. In 50 years it won't die -- we can have synthetic fuels and run combustion engines again."

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