The UK’s Transport Select Committee has also warned the government that “a reality check is needed” on its policy of sidelining sustainable fuels.
In its March 2023 report titled Fuelling the Future: Motive Power and Connectivity, it said: “Not everyone will be able to afford to replace their current car with an EV, nor will everyone easily be able to charge one at home.
“There are questions over the adequacy of infrastructure and the use of raw materials to produce the necessary batteries. An exclusive focus on battery-electric vehicles risks failing to meet the UK’s climate goals.
“The huge potential for sustainable fuels to provide a low-carbon option for conventional engines must be further explored. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions right now by using increasing quantities of drop-in sustainable fuels would enable us to address the existing fleet and minimise cost and carbon emissions through the use of existing infrastructure.”
However, not all manufacturers are convinced that synthetic fuels are the future. Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark recently told Autocar that they were “really exciting” but there existed “no industrial roadmap” for their mass production. “It’s got legs,” he said, “but it’s not the silver bullet that could replace the need for something else.”