The year-long study followed the ADAC XC Cup, Germany’s first motorsport series to use fossil-free fuel. Launched in 2022, the series offers an accessible entry into off-road racing for both young and senior drivers.  

Results showed no loss of performance or increased fuel consumption compared to conventional petrol, while reducing carbon emissions by 77%. Emissions could be reduced by up to 92% with renewable energy used in fuel production. 

“The findings of the study are encouraging and demonstrate that current vehicles can also switch to sustainable and green mobility,” said Karsten Schulze, Chairman of the ADAC Stiftung Board of Trustees and Technology President of ADAC e.V. “This is also good news for young and amateur motor sport drivers: it does not require much technical effort to rely entirely on fossil-free fuels in car and motorbike racing. Unfortunately, the high retail price continues to impede this progress.” 

The research project, titled “Replacing fossil fuels with synthetic fuels in motorsport”, was conducted by the Technical University of Darmstadt, sponsored by the ADAC Stiftung and supported by the German Motor Sport Federation. The study offers detailed insights into fuel consumption, emissions, and performance metrics. You can access the full study here.