Aircela, a startup based in New York, has built a refrigerator-sized machine that can turn air into clean gasoline. This new technology can change how we think about fuel. Instead of using fossil fuels, the Aircela machine captures carbon dioxide directly from the air and turns it into usable gasoline. It runs entirely on renewable energy and does not require any changes to your car or fuel system.
Most cars on the road today still use gasoline. In fact, about 90% of vehicles worldwide run on gas. While electric vehicles are growing in popularity, they are still expensive for most people and need special charging stations. That’s why Aircela’s solution is so exciting, it works with the cars and fuel systems we already use.
In New York City’s Garment District, Aircela showed off its working machine to the public. The device uses direct air capture technology to pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Then, it turns that CO₂ into gasoline using a clean and safe chemical process. The result is a fuel that contains no sulfur, no ethanol, and no heavy metals. You can pour it straight into your gas tank, and it will work just like regular gasoline.
Karl Dums, a former Porsche executive, was present at the event. He said, “I wish you all the success in the world, but I can’t believe this is going to work.” However, after seeing the machine in action, he changed his mind.
“Fortunately, I was wrong. Aircela has earned my full respect, and I’m thrilled to celebrate this historic moment. I’m convinced this marks the beginning of a long and important journey, one whose impact is still vastly underestimated today.”
The machine is not a prototype. It is a fully working product. Aircela’s CEO and co-founder, Eric Dahlgren, made this clear. “We didn’t build a prototype. We built a working machine,” he said. “We want people to walk away knowing this isn’t too good to be true, it actually works.”
The machine is designed to work almost anywhere. It can be used in homes, commercial buildings, or industrial sites. It is small, easy to install, and can make fuel on-site. According to a company spokesperson, the machine can capture about 10 kilograms of CO₂ per day.
This amount of carbon can be turned into about 1 gallon of gasoline. The unit can store up to 17 gallons of fuel at a time. While it cannot fill a car’s tank overnight.
Aircela’s technology is based on years of research in carbon capture. Physicist Klaus Lackner explains the science behind the machine at the event. He has worked for years to develop systems that remove carbon from the air. Now, that science has become a real-world solution.
Founded in 2019 by Eric Dahlgren and his wife Mia, Aircela quickly moved from development to real-world testing. Their progress has been supported by well-known investors. These include Chris Larsen, the founder of Ripple, and Jeff Ubben, an investor. The company also receives strategic support from Maersk Growth.
Morten Bo Christiansen, Senior Vice President and Head of Energy Transition at Maersk, said, “We invested in Aircela because of their innovative approach to production of low-emission fuels based on direct air capture.”
Aircela plans to begin full production by fall 2025. Their goal is to make the machines available to off-grid users, commercial customers, and industries looking for cleaner fuel. They are focused on areas where switching to electric vehicles may be too costly or slow.
While this one machine won’t fix climate change on its own, the company believes its small size will make it easier to scale up. Instead of building one large plant, many smaller machines can be placed in different locations. This makes the technology faster and cheaper to spread.
Dahlgren says there’s no time to waste. “We cannot wait decades,” he said. “We need to do something about it right now.”
