These Japanese Carmakers Are Betting On Clean Fuel Made From Grass And Paper

As the automotive industry explores ways to cut emissions, not everyone is convinced that fully electric powertrains are the only answer. While many manufacturers are pushing hard toward battery-electric vehicles, a group of Japanese automakers, including Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, and Toyota, are taking a different approach.

Read: Eneos Tests Synthetic Fuel On Toyota Prius And GR86

In partnership with petroleum juggernaut ENEOS, they’re working on developing a low-carbon gasoline alternative that’s set to debut in the ST-Q class of Japan’s Super Taikyu racing series. In time, the same kind of fuel could end up powering your daily driver.

This fuel is a blend of plant-derived bioethanol that’s been mixed with conventional gasoline. While that may sound like a typical blend of ethanol and gasoline like E85, which has been around for years, Japanese companies are looking at something a little different.

Rather than relying on crops like corn or sugarcane, which are commonly used for ethanol production, ENEOS is researching how to create ethanol from non-food biomass. This is an important distinction. Current biofuels depend on agricultural land and resources, which puts a cap on how much fuel can realistically be produced. ENEOS is exploring sources like wood, grass, and recycled paper to create ethanol that can then be blended with gasoline.

The Future Of Fuel

Vehicles running on this low-carbon fuel will be the first to compete in the Super Taikyu Series using a domestically produced alternative to conventional gasoline.

“I believe we’re moving towards a global consensus that, while BEVs and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) contribute a great deal, HEVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles can also be used to reduce CO2 emissions,” said Yuichiro Fujiyama, ENEOS Chief Technology Officer, in an interview with Toyota Times.

“To cut emissions further, we must reduce the CO2 generated by the liquid fuels used in cars. In our view, we need to pour greater effort into e-fuels, synthetic fuels, and the biofuels that are being used here today by some of the ST-Q cars,” he added.

Inspired By Brazil

The brands pointed towards the prevalence of biofuels in Brazil as an example that Asia could follow. There, many vehicles are sold with flex-fuel capabilities, and thanks to local subsidies, ethanol fuel blends are actually cheaper than standard gasoline. ENEOS doesn’t necessarily believe subsidies are the right answer to make biofuel more commonplace, and says “the key factor is whether people are willing to contribute to preventing global warming, even if it means paying more out of pocket.”

“As I have said on many occasions, automobiles are a fascinating product,” added Subaru chief technology officer Tetsuo Fujinuki. “For this reason, we need to harness our diversity while addressing environmental challenges, such as reducing exhaust emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. As one of the means of accomplishing this, I think carbon-neutral fuels are extremely important.”

While electric vehicles dominate the headlines, efforts like this remind us that innovation in combustion fuels still matters, especially in regions where electrification alone may not be a practical solution.

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