A 1985 Audi Sport quattro, part of the AMAG Classic car collection, became the first vehicle in history to run on solar gasoline produced at Synhelion’s industrial-scale plant DAWN in Jülich, Germany.
The car’s historic drive marks the debut of solar gasoline as a viable, drop-in fuel for existing internal combustion engines. No modifications were made to the Audi’s original 306 hp engine, demonstrating the compatibility of Synhelion’s renewable synthetic fuel with today’s vehicles and infrastructure.
Solar fuel produced at DAWN
The solar gasoline was produced at Synhelion’s first industrial plant, DAWN, which has been generating synthetic fuels on an industrial scale since 2024.
Synhelion’s proprietary technology uses solar heat to drive a thermochemical process that converts a biogenic carbon source and water into synthetic drop-in fuels, namely sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), gasoline, and diesel. These fuels are nearly CO₂-neutral, emitting only as much CO₂ during use as was used in their production.
The Audi Sport quattro’s solar-powered journey took place during the Supercar Owners Circle Classic Andermatt event that included tours over the world-renowned Swiss mountain passes of Oberalp and Furka.
Milestone in Synhelion’s fuel deployment
This marks the first time solar gasoline has ever been produced and used to fuel a car. It is also the third instance of Synhelion’s fuels powering a vehicle, following a motorcycle ride with solar gasoline and the symbolic fueling of a steamboat with solar diesel earlier this year.
Philipp Furler, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Synhelion, emphasized the importance of the achievement: “This is a huge milestone. Not just for Synhelion, but for sustainable mobility as a whole. For the first time, we’ve shown that solar fuel can power a car in real-world conditions. It proves that our technology is ready for the road and that even iconic internal combustion engines can have a role in a green future.”
Watch the video of the world’s first car drive fueled by solar gasoline:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZE-Ns9bQ94
