Saudi Aramco, Hyundai Motors, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced a joint research collaboration today, Tuesday, to develop high-efficiency fuel for internal combustion engines characterized by low fuel consumption, aiming to reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles. According to a statement from Aramco, the two-year collaboration includes the development of an ideal fuel formulation that can be used with a new combustion system in a hybrid electric vehicle.
The research team aims to find the best ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by designing a combustion system that features low fuel consumption in a modern hybrid vehicle. The three partners bring unique expertise that enhances the partnership, as Saudi Aramco will leverage its extensive experience in researching and developing chemical fuel formulations to design an optimal fuel blend. While Hyundai Motors will provide the latest and most advanced light vehicle engines, the research team at KAUST's Clean Combustion Research Center will conduct testing.
Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, Chief Technology Officer at Saudi Aramco, stated, "With the rise of hybrid electric vehicles, the real challenge now is to take significant steps to find the optimal fuel for high-capacity combustion systems. In this field, the Aramco team will contribute its practical expertise in designing and formulating advanced fuels to enhance the combustion performance of Hyundai Motors' engines. This undoubtedly increases our enthusiasm to be part of this experiment and drives us to put more effort into this domain."
Alan Rabusso, Executive Vice President at Hyundai Motors Group, said, "Battery electric and fuel cell vehicles will be the optimal technologies for Hyundai Motors to achieve carbon neutrality in transportation. Eco-friendly internal combustion engine technologies that combine environmentally friendly fuel with low-burning gasoline engines will provide the best solution for effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions as we transition to cleaner transportation such as electric vehicles."
In this context, Donal Bradley, Vice President of Research at KAUST, noted, "Building high-efficiency transportation systems with lower pollution rates significantly contributes to the carbon circular economy, which aims to address climate change. The Clean Combustion Research Center at the university is the ideal entity to support this important development, especially with its outstanding track record in developing and improving low-carbon fuel types. We look forward to working alongside our colleagues at Saudi Aramco and Hyundai on this project."
It is noteworthy that Saudi Aramco is making significant efforts in research and development as it seeks to accelerate the development of advanced transportation technologies that contribute to reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency. This requires establishing partnerships with leading companies around the world in the automotive industry through the company's research centers in Dhahran, Paris, Detroit, and Shanghai.
