European Union is Now Endorsing eFuels as a ' Future Facing ' Transport Solution
In terms of the long-term future of the global Powered Two-Wheeler ( PTW ) industry , there are several very important stories circulating at this time . One of them is the approval by the European Union of eFuels as part of its post-2035 carbon emission-free vision for the future of transport . My take on such matters has always been that the future could not be one of a ' mono ' solution , a one size fits all transport needs future ; but that , literally and figuratively , it would have to be a hybrid future - a mixed portfolio of application-specific solutions . Battery power could work for some forms of transport - automotive maybe , especially in urban and peri-urban environments , definitely for delivery vehicles and vans , probably road freight too ; but shipping , air transport , long distance driving , motorcycles , space flight - these would all need application-specific solutions . A multiverse of power options and solutions . My ' biggie ' has always been the advantages that so-called synthetic gasoline can bring to the table , especially to our table here in the motorcycle industry . Those advantages run from being able to continue to use existing powerplants and model ranges , right through to not having to demolish and rebuild the world ' s gas stations and related infrastructure , with all the concrete and steel and other emissions-generating waste product and capital investment that would require . Synthetic gasoline is , of course , only one of several forms of eFuel , and the term itself is slightly misleading . The hydrocarbons are the same as in present day crude oil , and the process of exploding them to release motive force is the same . The hydrocarbons themselves don ' t care whether they ' ve been pumped up a tube from 10,000 feet below ground , or sea level , or have been cracked from other readily available surface level raw ingredients such as air and water . " All " that is required is to combine Carbon Dioxide ( CO₂ ) and Hydrogen ( H₂ ) in such a way that the resulting synthetic fuel , which can be gasoline , diesel , gas , or even kerosene , produces more energy than is costs ( thus obeying the laws of thermodynamics ), using input energy that doesn ' t itself create carbon emissions in its production . There are three basic strategies for producing petrochemicals without fossil fuels : using plant materials , using recycled plastics , or through direct production from carbon dioxide and water . The most commonly used raw material at this time is biomass . However , because synthetic gasoline can be manufactured by simply combining raw material carbon dioxide and hydrogen to create hydrocarbons ( petrosynthesis ) the end result can also be achieved by direct air capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the electrolysis of water to obtain hydrogen . Various global corporations ( such as Bosch , Siemens , Audi and others ) have already invested billions into trying to solve the energy intensity issues that surround the costeffective volume production of enough ' synth gas ' to replace the volume of fuel needed at existing ( or even lower ) pump prices . There are pilot production plants at work ( most notably in Chile and Australia ) that have moved production volume a next level up the scale , and that are using solar or hydroelectric energy to produce the electricity they need to drive production . But there is another foot on the hosepipe that has recently become manifest , namely the
this is not trivial
colossal level of capital already invested in battery power and the impediment that now represents for the needed ROI for any alternate . Down the last 20-years or so , I don ' t know how many times it has appeared that the European Union ( especially ) has interpreted PTWs as part of the problem rather than the solution . That , in general , has changed in the past decade because of the success that Europe ' s motorcycle industry trade associations and their OEM members have had in lobbying the benefits of PTWs as a forward-facing transport solution . Thanks too in no small part to a small number of enlightened elected politicians in the European Parliament . However , until now all that good work and optimism for a bright and satisfyingly powerful sounding PTW future looked set to disappear under the weight ( literally ) of batteries and their ( present ) limitations . For an insight into how the EU ' s recent volte face could play out , make haste ( if you haven ' t read it already ) to page 64 ( the outside back cover ) of this edition and just think for a while about the possible implications that this change in direction could have for our industry . Ironically , it has largely been pressure from the German automotive industry , placed on the German government and passed on by them to the European Union , that has forced regulators admitting eFuels into the previously too limited range of green transport solutions permitted in their post 2035 new auto and moto model landscape . Though not arrived at principally for reasons of enlightened thinking , it is nonetheless not a trivial development . From the outside looking in , it has long appeared that the German government is one that just cannot entirely climb out of the pockets of the German automotive industry - regardless of how hard the present left leaning , green shaded three-way progressive alliance coalition has tried ( which is , actually , not very hard , truth be told ). Either way , the undoubted sway that Berlin has over Brussels has forced the EU to compromise . Hurrah ! There are a couple of other very important strategic news stories bubbling under at this time . The latest Japanese ' Big Four ' collaboration - this time the formation of a Hydrogen Power research consortium , and what is happening this year to the exhaust anti-tampering regulations in Europe . We didn ' t have room for either of those this month but be afraid - future editions are available ! Meanwhile , back at the ' day job ' - have you seen Harley ' s share price ? It isn ' t good . Did you read my channel stuffing remarks last month ? As Jochen Zeitz comments in Harley ' s statement about having to slow down production again ( page 8 ) he , in effect , says that it ' s a good job the inventory pipeline is full . With Harley unit sales in the 11,000 range in April - some 20 plus percent down on April 2022 - it ' s a shame that dealers can ' t sell that inventory as fast as H-D ships it .
Robin Bradley
Co-owner / Editor-in-Chief robin @ dealer-world . com