An NYC-based startup called Aircela claims they've invented a machine that creates gasoline out of thin air. As in, vehicle-ready gasoline that you can pour into a car. Perhaps most incredibly, they say this gasoline is carbon-neutral. Although the gasoline will emit CO2 when used, it was created out of CO2, and thus doesn't add any new CO2 to the atmosphere. Meaning they've technically just recycled the CO2.

For that claim to hold, of course, the machine must be powered by renewable electricity. Assuming you've got a source, here's how the machine performs its feat, according to the company:

I. Capturing Carbon from the Air

Aircela's machine uses a water-based solution containing potassium hydroxide (KOH) to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from ambient air. Air flows through a specially designed chamber where it contacts the liquid sorbent, efficiently capturing CO2.

II. Producing Hydrogen from Water

We use electrolysis — powered by renewable electricity — to split water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is kept for fuel synthesis; the oxygen is safely released. At the same time, the sorbent used in the capture step is regenerated for reuse, allowing the cycle to run continuously.

III. Synthesizing Fuel

The captured CO2 and hydrogen are combined to create methanol. That methanol is then converted into gasoline through a two-step catalytic process known as methanol-to-gasoline (MTG). The result is fossil-free, engine-ready gasoline — fully compatible with existing engines and infrastructure.

Aircela says the machine can produce one gallon of gasoline over a 24-hour period, and that it's 90 octane "or higher."

The company envisions the machines being owned by households…

…or at network scale:

So is this real? It appears so; it's attracted multiple well-known investors including Jeff Ubben, the activist investor who sits on ExxonMobil's board. That said, there have been no third-party studies conducted yet who have verified Aircela's claims.

At press time the company had not revealed how much one of their machines would cost.

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