The European Union and America remain firm in their objective to decarbonize the transport sector by 2030-2035. But what if we don’t achieve it? There are already brands that have set out to solve this problem, such as a legendary German carmaker that is going to do away with the combustion engine… with more combustion. This, however, is the first zero-emission one known to mankind, and it “burns alcohol” instead of gasoline, so it could be the most futuristic in history.
Germany has the solution to save the combustion engine, but it needs more combustion
Currently, an Austrian-German company, Obrist Group, has unveiled a revolutionary methanol engine that may drastically change the car manufacturing market. The HyperHybrid®, is a powertrain that integrates electric driving with methanol as a sustainable and viable solution for cars of the future.
The complete structure of the vehicle’s HyperHybrid® powertrain relies on a custom-designed two-cylinder internal combustion engine. This compact engine is designed for use with aMethanol which is a synthetic fuel derived from renewable raw materials. It is partnered with a small battery pack, which makes it as a hybrid vehicle.
Why is this methanol engine so special? First, it’s not for vessels, but for cars. Then, we have other advantages:
- Compact size: This kind of design of engines make it possible to design an engine with two cylinders and still be lighter than the normal internal combustion engines.
- Hybrid integration: The engine is matted with an electric motor and comes with a smaller size battery pack in inclusion.
- Methanol compatibility: Specifically built for performance on aMethanol fuel.
- Emission control: The engine was designed to produce the lowest emission levels, especially when using carbon-neutral, aMethanol.
Why to create a methanol engine? Germany is clear about the future, and it’s not hydrogen
While specific figures for the Obrist methanol engine have not been published by the brand, methanol engines in general offer several efficiency advantages:
- High thermal efficiency: One of the fuelling parameters is about how methanol engines can also offer higher thermal efficiency as compared to the gasoline engines because of the high octane rating of methanol and also because of its cooling effect.
- Lower emissions: In the case where it will be operating on carbon-neutral aMethanol, net CO2 emissions from the engine are considerably lower than in the case of fossil fuel-engines.
- Impressive range: The ‘HyperHybrid®’ equipped prototype car such as the V70 has a capability of WLTP mixed driving of a thousand kilometers.
The Obrist Group’s methanol engine uses a fuel derived from methanol, which is called aMethanol or aFuel®. This synthetic methanol is generated through a process that pulls CO2 and water out of the air, making it a carbon-negative fuel.
How is the Obrist Group methanol engine being developed? Some keys to understand its journey
The Obrist Group has been developing their methanol engine and the HyperHybrid® system for a few years. They have already put into practice in a number of prototypes, and are now getting ready for mass production. The company has unveiled some plans that clarify how promising this model could be:
- Prototype development: The first prototype was a Tesla Model Y in which the manufacturer’s default batteries were replaced with the HyperHybrid®.
- Planned market introduction: It is the policy of the Obrist Group to launch the HyperHybrid® to market by the year 2025 with the help of a licensee.
- Global partnerships: Some of the cooperation partners are being sought to increase the scale of the company’s product distribution into the market.
The company also sees a future of large-scale aMethanol generating plants in regions with abundant sun in what they term, The Modern Forests wherein the facilities to produce sun to water, electrolysis, CO2 air filtration and synthesis of methanol are integrated to create abundant renewable fuel.
When we say that this is an alcohol-engine, we do so thinking of the ecological potential that the development of this fuel could have, something that other models such as John Deere’s (and that you could recently see with us) have demonstrated. This methanol engine is not the first to be manufactured, but it is a pioneer in the car sector, as until now we had known them for boats, where they are rivaling ammonia and, of course, hydrogen.
