Nearly 100 years old, the legendary Bugatti Royale “Coupé Napoléon” took to the road in Mulhouse on Friday, powered by a new synthetic fuel made from CO₂ and hydrogen, developed by Aramco.
This iconic model, normally on display at the Schlumpf Collection Automobile Museum, is taken out for a spin once a year — “without any issues since it was built.” But this year’s outing had a special purpose: demonstrating the potential of Aramco’s new e-fuel.
“This is a much cleaner fuel that requires no engine modifications, no additives, and no control unit,” explained Pierre-Olivier Calendini, director of Aramco’s fuel research centre. “And we’re proving, with a car nearly a century old, that it’s both possible and feasible,” added Guillaume Gasser, director of the Mulhouse museum.
Tests are currently underway with several manufacturers in Europe and beyond to use this e-fuel in new vehicle models. While the product is still in the research phase and not yet ready for commercial release, Aramco aims to introduce it “very soon” in the aviation sector. For road transport, however, the wait will be a bit longer.
Notably, Peter Auto — the organiser behind events such as Le Mans Classic and the Tour Auto — is also exploring hydrogen-based synthetic fuels to decarbonise classic and vintage vehicles.
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