IPA Demo Projects Partnerships

IPA has joined forces with the Association for Emissions Control by Catalyst (AECC) and other partners to develop a range of demo vehicles that showcase the feasibility of reaching ultra-low pollutant levels by combining state-of-the art emissions control systems.

Gasoline ultra-low emissions demo vehicle

The latest addition is a gasoline demonstrator vehicle achieving ultra-low pollutant levels under a wide range of driving conditions with a combination of catalytic converters in close-coupled and underfloor position, a catalysed particulate filter and advanced emission system controls. The project aims to show how we can further reduce the impact of gasoline vehicles on climate change.

In a new video AECC’s Technical and Scientific Manager Joachim Demuynck outlines how to further reduce the impact of gasoline vehicles on climate change through the use of sustainable renewable fuels.   

The process for a revision of the CO₂ emission standards for cars and vans is ongoing. The EU Green Deal zero-emissions transport objective can best be achieved by a truly technology-neutral CO₂ emissions standard for cars and vans. The Tank-to-Wheel approach currently limits the CO₂ reductions that can otherwise be obtained by using hybrid ICE technologies with drop-in sustainable renewable fuels in addition to the ongoing electrification of the cars and vans fleets. Emission control technologies fully operating in combination with these drop-in sustainable renewable fuels enable ultra-low pollutant emissions while contributing towards net-zero CO₂ emissions. 

Our technical partner AECC is studying the performance of the demonstrator vehicle using sustainable renewable fuels, for example e-gasoline. This sustainable renewable fuel is produced from captured CO₂ and renewable electricity. The engine and the emission control technology are compatible with this sustainable and renewable fuel and the vehicle still achieves ultra-low pollutant emissions as with regular petrol. Despite the many EU incentives supporting the use of these fuels, a specific framework, for example, a a voluntary crediting scheme, will be needed to support the development of fuels with a low carbon footprint. 

Soon, the European Commission will also release the proposal for Euro 7 emissions standards. In this context, AECC believes it is important to focus on real-world driving and lifetime pollutant emissions compliance to further reduce the impact of vehicles on air quality. 

AECC and its members are fully committed to contribute to the European Commission’s 2050 climate-neutral and zero-emission goals set out in the European Green Deal. Achieving this will need a regulatory framework that addresses the need for lower pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions as well as incentivizing the use of sustainable renewable fuels.