LONDON, UK, 18 March 2024 – Zero, the leading producer of carbon-neutral synthetic fuel made from just air and water, showcased its breakthrough energy solution this weekend at the 2024 Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival by fuelling a Honda CB1100R, one of the most exotic motorbikes in its class. The power performance marked Zero’s official entry into the country and previewed opportunities for its first commercial-scale production in South Australia. Daryl Beattie, a Grand Prix-winning motorcycle racer, and Damon Hill, the 1996 Formula 1 World Champion, rode the bike, demonstrating the ability of synthetic fuel to drop into even the rarest of high-performance vehicles without any alterations to the engine.
Advancing plans to establish a synthetic fuel production plant in South Australia by 2026, Zero’s new plant will aim to produce 6-12 million litres of carbon-neutral fuel yearly, potentially reducing emissions by 60,000 tonnes CO2e annually and stimulating the local economy by creating over 150 construction jobs and up to 30 permanent positions. Zero has also signed an MoU with the South Australian Government to explore further investment opportunities.
Choosing Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival to mark the next phase of the company's global expansion was a clear choice as motorsport is hardwired into Zero’s DNA, with CEO Paddy Lowe and much of the company’s engineering team coming from the world of Formula 1. Lowe’s F1 career spanned 32 years, playing a major role in 12 World Championships, 158 race wins, and leading one of the most successful seasons in F1 history. Zero had recently announced a partnership with Stake F1® Team Kick Sauber, marking a historic moment as Formula 1’s first Official Partner that makes synthetic fuel. The team had applied the same mindset that led to success on the track into the creation of 100% fossil-free, drop-in synthetic fuels that deliver superior performance in motorbikes, cars, and beyond.
Beginning with just air and water, every molecule of Zero’s fuel is engineered from scratch, allowing incredible levels of precision and configurability for any existing engine. The Honda CB1100R motorbike provided the perfect case study for Zero’s versatile synthetic fuel, proving that no vehicle is too exotic or vintage to join the energy revolution. Produced in limited numbers from 1980 to 1983, the bike was Honda's first homologation special, racing in production class events across Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
The fuelling demonstration featured at the 2024 Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival, features Daryl Beattie riding the historic Honda CB1100R on Saturday, 16 March, and Hill to ride the Motorbike on Sunday, 17 March. Both racers were highly accomplished in their respective sports – Beattie raced in the Grand Prix motorcycle World Championship (now known as MotoGP) between 1992 and 1997, winning three 500cc Grand Prix races and finishing runner-up in the championship in 1995. Meanwhile, Hill was the last winner of the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide in 1995 and won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1996, starting his career on two wheels before switching to four. The British star made 115 grand prix starts for Brabham, Williams, Arrows, and Jordan in Formula 1 from 1992 to 1999, winning 22 races and the World Championship with Williams in 1996. More recently, Hill had teamed up with Zero and became the first person to drive a go-kart powered by fully synthetic fuel in 2023.
Event Director Tim Possingham states: “We were incredibly excited to see this activation unfold here in South Australia, as the state now produces more renewable energy than any other gigawatt grid in the world and with a hydrogen electrolyser that is ten times bigger than anything currently in existence, South Australia has become a place of incredible significance for alternative fuels and renewables. This activity had relevance to where the state is headed in respect to sustainability, but it also celebrated our motorsport heritage we possess here. It’s a perfect demonstration of the old-meets-new that the Adelaide Motorsport Festival showcases so well.”
Nick Champion Minister for Trade and Investment, South Australia said:
"The potential to have Zero Petroleum’s manufacturing facility located in South Australia, will add to our booming plans for the state’s future prosperity.
We have an opportunity to grow South Australia’s economy by providing the key ingredients needed for global decarbonisation.
South Australia’s economy is going from strength to strength having been ranked number one in the nation by CommSec, and events like the investment symposium at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival help foster new opportunities for growth."
Zero CEO and founder Paddy Lowe said: “The Government of South Australia has transformed the region into a global hub of renewable solar and wind power development, and Zero is excited by the prospect of joining its thriving green hydrogen economy. Following our exploration into the market, we were proud to showcase our first Australian demonstration at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival as they do an excellent job of bridging the gap between treasured motorsport heritage and the future of fuel. Fueling a motorbike as unique and classic as the Honda CB1100R showed that the rich history of racing will be alive and well as we transition to fossil-free solutions, and at Zero, we are working closely with South Australia to bring this vision to life.”
Held the week before the Australian Grand Prix, the Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival was a museum in motion, displaying historic, rare, and significant racing vehicles on the Victoria Park section of the Adelaide Street Circuit. Categories featuring Formula 1, V8 Supercars, Group C and A touring cars, sports cars, and more were featured throughout the festival, in addition to on-track demonstrations, off-track displays, villas, and more.
Adelaide Motorsport Festival, now in its tenth year, is a major event and economic drawcard for South Australia. It celebrates all forms of motoring and motorsport, bringing together the latest electric and hybrid vehicles, electric race and rally cars, electric bicycles, scooters, and motorbikes, and more in the E-Motion Zone presented by the City of Adelaide. showcased alongside the Zero demonstration.
Visit AdelaideMotorsportFestival.com.au for more on the 2024 Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival.
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