Modified Tesla Model Y: A Methanol Engine Prototype Challenges Elon Musk's Vision

Modified Tesla Model Y: A Methanol Engine Prototype Challenges Elon Musk's Vision.

While manufacturers like Toyota favor the use of hydrogen over electric vehicles to offer cleaner solutions, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, continues to express his aversion to this fuel. In 2022, Musk stated that hydrogen was "the dumbest thing I can imagine as an energy storage system," reflecting his skepticism toward the technology. During a conference on the future of cars, he declared that hydrogen would require "gigantic reservoirs" for storage, making it, in his view, a poor strategic choice.

With this clear stance, Musk dismissed the possibility of a hydrogen-powered Tesla hybrid. However, the idea of a non-electric Tesla is not entirely off the table, and an Austrian company has demonstrated this with an innovative project.

Tesla Model Y Modified with a Methanol Engine

The company Obrist, specializing in alternative solutions, modified a Tesla Model Y, creating a prototype called the Tesla Model Y Hyper-Hybrid, equipped with a methanol engine. Although this project is independent and has no direct involvement from Tesla, it serves to show that there are other possibilities beyond hydrogen engines. Obrist purchased the Tesla models and adapted them to its methanol propulsion system.

The modified Tesla Model Y Hyper-Hybrid can operate both with a battery and with methanol extracted from its tank. Otherwise, the vehicle retains all the characteristics of a conventional Tesla, as the modifications are limited to the engine, without altering other parts of the car.

Methanol: The Fuel of the Future?

In addition to modifying the Tesla, Obrist developed its own fuel, called aFuel. This synthetic methanol is produced partly from CO2 captured directly from the air, and according to the company, aFuel is carbon-neutral or even negative due to the capture and transformation of CO2 into solid carbon. Obrist's goal is to create an alternative to fossil fuels, and aFuel is described as an efficient, 100% renewable energy carrier.

Although the company has been working on this project since 2021, Obrist has yet to implement the use of aFuel with Tesla or other manufacturers. However, the concept is promising and could point to a new direction for the future of vehicles, especially for those seeking more eco-friendly alternatives in transportation.

With the Tesla Model Y Hyper-Hybrid, Obrist proposes an alternative to the traditional electric vehicle model, challenging Elon Musk's vision and suggesting that methanol could play an important role in the transition to more sustainable transportation.