The drive for net zero sends tremors down the spines of many people but, like it or not, it’s a hot topic that’s not going away. We’re seeing Kawasaki developing hydrogen powered prototypes, and there’s a range of electric motorcycles as diverse as small Zeehos through to full sized Zeros coming on to the mass market. Alongside this, we are seeing a bunch of different companies taking a whole host of different solutions to reduce carbon emissions and keep the internal combustion powered machines we love alive.
Electric and hydrogen are not for everyone and there’s a strong demand, particularly in the classic and racing scene, to preserve petrol in a responsible way – and one British company has developed a fuel which is compatible with current petrol vehicles while, it claims, being better for both the vehicle and the environment. What’s more, you can even buy it now – although it’s not cheap, coming in at between £5-6 per litre.
Sustain Fuels have created a range of fuels which, while not being zero emissions, claim to reduce emissions by around 80% when compared to current petrol. It’s made largely from agricultural waste, such as straw and leftovers from the production process which wouldn’t be used for human consumption, and which is fermented into a fuel we can use in our vehicles without any modifications. These crops have absorbed CO2 while growing, and this is then used as the base of the fuel, which is then blended with fossil content in most cases to create the finished fuel. The process itself appears to be less energy intensive than refining oil, although that is not something we are able to verify.
Sustain currently make a range of fuels, ranging from 33% to 100% sustainable content. The company says that they are focusing largely on the racing and classic car scenes initially, and that the fuel they make has benefits in particular for those users. The products typically offer a higher octane rating than pump petrol, with most blends being 98 or 102 RON, and while modern pump fuel contains up to 10% ethanol, these sustainable blends contain no more than naturally occurring traces. The result is that, unlike most modern fuels, it won’t gum up the fuel system of your classic when stored long term.
So while sustainable fuels still emit tailpipe emissions, the CO2 is essentially being reused – reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. And while no-one, including the manufacturers, are saying sustainable fuels are completely clean, they do reduce the carbon footprint. There’s also a strong environmental argument for keeping an old vehicle on the road, rather than scrapping it and building a new one. Although the latest cars and bikes are undoubtedly cleaner to run on a day-to-day basis, the carbon footprint required to make it is still significant.
Sustainable fuels are already starting to be used in top level motor racing, where burning fossil fuels may be seen as indulgent in today’s ecologically driven society. Suzuki entered a machine using sustainable fuels made by French petrochemical giants ELF at the recent Suzuka 8-hour endurance race, while the Moto2 and Moto3 world championships have switched to 40% non-fossil biofuels produced by Malaysia’s PETRONAS company for the 2024 season. Lap records have been broken in both classes, and there’s been no loss of spectacle, proving that being more environmentally aware needn’t come at the cost of performance. MotoGP and Formula 1 are already recognising the need to introduce more biofuel and have put in place a commitment to reduce their carbon footprints.
Of course there is a financial cost to these biofuels, as they retail at around four times the cost of a litre of regular unleaded. British company Sustain is selling its fuel by the barrel but it’s not on regular forecourts. When we spoke to Suresh Nahar from the Essex based company he stated that it would be possible to increase production, although it seems unlikely we’d be able to produce enough biofuels to instantly switch every vehicle over in the medium term. Suresh was quick to add that he thinks electric and hydrogen both have a part to play in the future of transport, however he feels sustainable petrol also has its part to play in this new energy mix. If you fancy filling up there are only a few retailers in the UK, with pumps selling by the litre at Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire and The Splined Hub in Northamptonshire. Both are businesses very much focussed on preserving classic vehicles, giving reassurance that the people looking after our past are also very much at the forefront of delivering our future.
