As continental and Chinese carmakers pivot towards electric vehicles, the Japanese camp remain much more neutral by exploring all avenues of powertrains. Arguably the most difficult part of that would be keeping internal combustion engines soldiering on, but a small faction has put some of their eggs in the synthetic fuels basket, and it might be paying dividends.
Japanese lubricant giant Eneos completed its first synthetic fuel demonstration plant in September 2024 in Yokohama, Japan, in partnership with Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru, and Daihatsu.
The facility is the first of its kind in Japan, being capable of handling the entire process of producing synthetic fuels from raw materials.
Synthetic fuels are clean energy sources produced from hydrogen that is drawn from renewable sources and CO2, leading to a reduction in CO2 emissions. The plant itself will run on green electricity. Currently, the plant’s production capacity stands at one barrel a day, or about 159 litres.
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However, the initial stages of utilisation will see the synthetic fuels blended with traditional fossil fuel, similar to bio-diesel. Nonetheless, blended synthetic fuel is much more carbon-efficient and represents a huge first step towards carbon neutrality by way of sustainable fuels.
The synthetic fuel will be in a liquid state, enabling the use of existing infrastructure for distribution and further reducing its cost. For now, Eneos has not divulged the blended fuel’s rating or efficiency with internal combustion engines, nor has it mentioned if the cars required any modifications to run on it.
It will be a baptism of fire for the synthetic fuel from the Eneos plant, being used in production cars for the first time publicly during the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka.
The Expo is a six-month event aiming to highlight cutting-edge technology, with over 160 participants from around the globe. Advancements in medicine, space technology, robotics, flying vehicles, and other next-gen industries will gain plenty of exposure.
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Toyota, Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru, and Daihatsu will provide vehicles that run on the synthetic fuel to shepherd people and partners around the Expo grounds.
The group of Japanese carmakers participating all believe that synthetic fuels for combustion engines will be a key mobility option towards carbon neutrality. Individually, each carmaker has delved in the technology before.
A partnership between Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru prior to this will see ‘signature engines’ developed capable of running on carbon-neutral fuels such as synthetic fuel, liquid hydrogen and biofuel.
Mazda is hard at work reviving the rotary engine as Toyota focuses on three new inline-four engines, quite literally keeping the flame alive for the internal combustion engine.
