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Audi's New Emission Reducing Fuel May Soon Debut At A Gas Pump Near You

Agent009 submitted on 1/18/2008 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 11:11:28 AM

28 user comments | Category: Misc News | Source: | SOURCE: www.motorauthority.com

While most carmakers around the world are focusing on downsizing engines to reduce carbon emissions levels of their fleets, one carmaker, Audi, has set out to create a new type of fuel that not only reduces CO2 by up to 13% but also cuts fuel consumption by about 10%.



Audi will premiere its new fuel concept, dubbed ‘GTL (gas-to-liquid) Fuel,’ at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting taking place in Davos, Switzerland, next week. In fact, dignitaries will be chauffeured around by a fleet of A8 limos running on the new stuff.

The new fuel developed directly from Audi's winning Le Mans TDI program, is still in the testing phase but is already showing promising results, and since the fuel has been co-developed with Shell we could soon see regular fuel stations supplying the special stuff.




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Audi's New Emission Reducing Fuel May Soon Debut At A Gas Pump Near You

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Agent009

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."

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User Comments

DaHarder

This will undoubtedly be quite a ways off in the U.S.

But I love they way Audi constantly thinks 'Outside of the Box'...

— DaHarder (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 12:10:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

w209w114

Rosko, you forgot BMW

— w209w114 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 3:43:17 PM | | Votes: -4   

w209w114

Rosko, you forgot BMW

— w209w114 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 3:43:17 PM | | Votes: -4   

IamEvilHomer

what is your problem with eggs?

— IamEvilHomer (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 7:23:55 PM | | Votes: 4   

Neverfollow

This is another example of how Audi has become a major research and development company. Everything they do is a science project of sorts. Very interesting stuff.

— Neverfollow (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 12:25:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Agent009

This appears to really a good move for the industry.

Everyone was focusing on making their cars more efficient, assuming the fuel doesn't need to be improved.

Audi looked at the big picture and didn't limit the scope, and this happens.

If this works out the whole industry and the environment benefit.

— Agent009 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 12:51:50 PM | | Votes: 2   

GreenPlease

This is an extremely promising technology

GTL processes use methane (Natural Gas) as its feedstock. Natural gas resources, in terms of recoverable energy, are massive compared to remaining oil resources especially if Natural Gas Hydrates are taken into account.

Also, methane can be a biofuel (sorta). Allowing organic material, such as corn, to be broken down by bacteria in anaerobic digesters yields double the energy per acre when compared to ethanol (and uses less water to boot).

There are also signifcant performance benefits from using a synthetic fuel. Such as fuel is considered "pure" and is chemically stable. Cetane numbers are consistent, the fuel is chemically stable (great for long term storage), and the fuel is also free of impurities. This allows diesel engines to run tighter timings and reduces the exhaust treatment requirements (and therefore frees up the exhaust system).

Switching the entire U.S. fleet over to diesel fuel would result in ~15% reduction in transport related CO2 emissions. Having the entire U.S. fleet run on a consistent synthetic fuel would result in an additional ~5% reduction. Mild hybridization could result in another ~5% reduction. Having all of the fuel derived from biomass (it would be a stretch) would take that down to zero or possibly negative.

If anyone cares, the process that Shell uses to make this fuel is a modified FT gasification and reformation process. Methane (CH4) is partially oxidized producing 2H2 and CO(Syngas). This syngas can than be reassembled into a longer chain hydrocarbon such as dimethyl ether (CH3-O-CH3).

— GreenPlease (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 9:25:19 PM | | Votes: 4   

Neverfollow

cdoke, this is your area isn't it?

— Neverfollow (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 12:26:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

EnvyofyouRS5

93% emission reduction is all that needs to be said.
Audi is in a league of their own right now, and it's elitism at its best.

— EnvyofyouRS5 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 2:33:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

IamEvilHomer

the carbon monoxide is reduced by 93% / and carbon monoxide is the real killer

— IamEvilHomer (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 7:23:22 PM | | Votes: 3   

AutoEng

Huh? I'm an automotive engineer and we are not trying to change CO2 into CO.

I don't understand why you would think that?? CO is a byproduct of incomplete combustion due to lack of excess oxygen (rich mix). CO is also odorless and toxic.

CO2, on the other hand is a fully oxidized product of combustion, ideally all engines would emit only H20 and CO2. There is no effective way to reduce CO2 emissions by changing the combustion process, as an ideal combustion process will yield the highest amount of CO2. The trick to reducing CO2 is to change the fuel and the fuel economy such that the amount of Carbon burned in the first place is reduced.

— AutoEng (View Profile)

Posted on 1/20/2008 1:54:04 AM | | Votes: 3   

Porschinator

Now that is going the Extra Mile! Good for VW/Audi!!! Any reduction is a good reduction and hopefully a wake up call to Gas Companies. To help more on their part by improving the production process to create CO2 reducing fuel and not lay that responsibilty squarely on the Auto makers.

Down side, most likely further increasing the cost of fuel.

— Porschinator (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 5:29:35 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

EnvyofyouRS5

http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publish/Audi_News/article_3684.shtml - Carbon monoxide reduced by 93% sulfur dioxide eliminated. Enthusiasts welcome

— EnvyofyouRS5 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/18/2008 5:50:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

S4cabriofoxone

This is excellent...

Did anyone get the "Audi Magazine" this week? It's beautiful. Watermarked, matte finish, stunning photography, great articles.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2008 2:45:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Rupert

They're so innovative to think of this when others think about the cars themselves - talk about macro thinking, this is a great idea.

— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2008 4:53:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

huu76

A great idea that Audi is thinking of getting more out of the same fuel, but I think the timing is wrong.
If this was 10 years ago or so, it would have been sure success.

However, with hydrogen more and more on the horizon, it's had to justify developing a new fuel. Also, what is the cost at the pump? With top grade fuel going for about $1.15/L around here, this stuff will probably be $1.25. Not disgustingly expensive, but given the choice, I'd rather pay $2.00/L for hydrogen.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/19/2008 6:03:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

SevorbeupstryIsBack

How is this new?

Mercedes had a ML concept running on GTL years ago..

— SevorbeupstryIsBack (View Profile)

Posted on 1/20/2008 3:32:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

huu76

Obama,
They can make it using solar power. Canada is funding a project to make it really cheap to do so.

Where do you figure all that electricty for electric cars comes from? Solar panels will help, but they nowhere efficient enough to replenish it while you drive.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 1/22/2008 7:19:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

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