Synthetic fuels are not science fiction. They are already there and are used in some applications, including racing. Race fuel is not necessarily suitable for the street, but the Seen through the glass The YouTube channel ventured onto P1 Fuels to evaluate the company’s biomass-based gas in a production vehicle.
Granted, the average person doesn’t cruise around town in a Ferrari 360. But the supercar still serves as a benchmark for seeing how a street engine designed for fossil fuels performs with something a little different in the tank. In this case, the fuel is produced with a combination of biomass and hydrogen. Biomass is based on crops, and when it’s all processed, the result is a fuel that works like gasoline.
Yes, that also means it burns and releases carbon emissions like gasoline. However, the carbon released is already part of the current carbon cycle, absorbed over months as crops grow compared to fossil fuels that have sequestered carbon for millions of years. As a result, the video indicates that it is technically a carbon neutral solution. Moreover, it does not depend on a limited source of oil. Gather old crops, turn them into fuel with hydrogen, and you’re off to the races.
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In the case of P1 fuels, we mean that literally. The company already supplies synthetic fuel to the World Rally Championship, and the fuel was recently used as a demonstration in a 1990s F1 car. With such machines serving as examples, this Ferrari owner confessed he was comfortable testing it in the 360’s high-revving 3.6-litre V8. And to no real surprise, the car handled like a Ferrari should, with no discernible difference in performance. The only aspect not covered by the video was fuel consumption.
The video also takes us inside historic competition services in Belgium for a quick look at some glorious pre-war classics like an Alfa Romeo RL. That’s no coincidence, as the video explains how synthetic fuels could help secure a future for combustion engine cars, especially classic machines dear to the hearts of enthusiasts.
