Feed for Speed

372 kilometers per hour is the fastest recorded track speed for a Formula 1 car: the ultimate development and testing machine for sustainable fuel. In its meticulous engineering tradition, F1 is developing a 100% sustainable ‘drop-in’ fuel that can be used in existing fossil fuel engines. This fuel will be made from biowaste and maintain the same energy density needed for F1 performance. F1 has been fine tuning hybrid, electric and internal combustion engines. Makes sense to me to have motorsport people like Nico Rossberg build more climate change awareness. If motorsport fan Prince Charles can have a wine and cheese, biofuel powered Aston Martin, why not the rest of us. As UC Berkeley Professor Daniel Kammen points out in his April 2019 talk, the need for overall low carbon density including the carbon impact of the production source will be critical.

Source: Washington Post, Prince Charles and his biofuel Aston Martin

Source: Daniel Kammen, April 2019 on California Low Carbon Fuel Standard

This feed for speed is important because less than 10% of the global transport cars will be electric by 2030. The number of EVs on U.S. roads is projected to reach 18.7 million in 2030, up from 1 million at the end of 2018. This is about 7 percent of the 259 million vehicles (cars and light trucks) expected to be on U.S. roads in 2030. Great to see 6 automakers and 40 countries recently pledging to phase out all gasoline car sales by 2040 at COP26. However, electricity grid work and cleaning up the EV car production supply chain are still needed. The 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E looks very promising. On the other hand, putting 100% sustainable biofuel fuel into a 1965 Ford Mustang (one model in the over 1 million estimated classic 1960s Mustangs in the US) feels like a great moment in the making for those still attached to American muscle.

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Silicon to Carbon