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has shown that it wants to be a greener automaker with its project to produce synthetic forms of ethanol and diesel by combining wastewater, CO2, sunlight and special microorganisms. It is also working on a project to create natural gas using green methods. Its latest green initiative is a partnership with French biotechnology company Global Bioenergies to create gasoline and diesel without refining oil.

“We’re taking another step closer to carbon-neutral mobility with our partners at Global Bioenergies. We are supporting an innovative technology here which can be used to produce renewable fuel. This process does not create competition with food production and farmland,” said Reiner Mangold, Head of Sustainable Product Development at Audi.

Global Bioenergies has technology to create isobutene using green methods. It can then be transformed into isooctane, a substance that can be run in gasoline-fueled vehicles. Because it is so similar to the fuel that cars already use, no mechanical changes are necessary.

Audi and Global Bioenergies will collaborate on the new fuel for the next two years.

Of its 146 engine and transmission combination, Audi has 11 combinations that give 100g/km of CO2 emissions or less, and it has 51 combinations that emit between 100g/km of CO2 and 120g/km of CO2. It will have to find ways to make its cars cleaner to reach future EU emissions regulations.