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Aircela was founded in 2019 by Mia Dahlgren and Eric Dahlgren in New York City.
To offer a carbon-neutral alternative to conventional liquid fuels, to as many people as possible in as many places as possible.
Aircela builds compact, modular machines that capture CO₂ from the air and turn it into fossil-free gasoline, fully compatible with existing engines and infrastructure.
Aircela uses direct air capture (DAC) technology to pull carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the atmosphere using a water-based solution (a liquid sorbent). Simultaneously, hydrogen is produced on-site by splitting water through electrolysis, powered by renewable electricity. The captured CO₂ and the renewable hydrogen are then combined to create methanol. That methanol is converted into motor-grade gasoline based on an established methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) process. The result is a fossil-free, drop-in fuel that works in existing engines, no modifications required.
All of the carbon used in the process comes directly from the atmosphere. The machine pulls ambient air into the system, capturing CO₂ through direct air capture (DAC) technology.
The hydrogen comes from water and is generated on-site through electrolysis, a process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity.
Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is the sorbent used in the air capture process. It cycles continuously through the system, binding and releasing CO₂ in a regenerative loop. KOH losses are minimal and managed through periodic replenishment.
At 24/7 operation, each Aircela unit is designed to capture and convert approximately 10 kilograms of CO₂ per day. This enables the system to produce about 1 gallon of gasoline daily, fully recycling the captured carbon into new fuel.
The final product is gasoline synthesized from methanol, which itself is made from captured CO₂ and hydrogen. The resulting fuel contains no fossil carbon, no ethanol, no sulfur, and no heavy metals. It’s fully compatible with existing engines and meets motor-grade specifications.
No. Aircela uses direct CO₂ hydrogenation to synthesize methanol, followed by a methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) catalytic process — not Fischer-Tropsch. This allows us to operate efficiently at small, distributed scale.
Our latest testing shows an AKI of 90 (RON 95+). One advantage of producing fuel at this scale is the ability to adjust synthesis and hydrotreating parameters to fine-tune octane levels. The system is built around a methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) process, which produces relatively high-AKI, high-aromatic crudes — typically 90 AKI or higher. That crude is then hydrotreated to reduce aromatic content, remove heavier fractions, and isomerize specific components, yielding a final drop-in fuel with an AKI generally in the 90-95 range.
Yes. Aircela fuel can be used on its own or blended with conventional gasoline. It’s fully compatible with existing engines and fuel systems. For longer trips or when additional fuel is needed, you can safely mix Aircela fuel with fossil gasoline without any issues.
Exactly like conventional gasoline. Aircela fuel is dispensed through a standard fuel nozzle directly into your car’s gas tank — no modifications or special equipment required. The key difference is where and how the fuel is produced: Aircela allows for local, distributed fuel production close to where it's used.
Yes. Aircela fuel is designed to meet or exceed all motor-grade gasoline specifications, making it safe and effective for use in existing internal combustion engines.
Aircela machines are designed to run on renewable electricity to achieve carbon-neutral fuel production. What source of renewable power they use depends on what’s available on site — whether that’s solar, wind, or other clean energy sources. If connected to the grid, the carbon footprint reflects whatever power mix is feeding that grid at the time. But the machine itself doesn’t use any fossil inputs — it converts electricity into fuel through electrolysis and synthesis. The cleaner the electricity source, the cleaner the resulting fuel.
The system targets an end-to-end energy conversion efficiency of over 50% as development scales. At that efficiency, it requires around 75 kWh of electricity to produce 1 gallon of gasoline per day.
Water is used both in the DAC system (as part of the liquid sorbent) and in the electrolysis process to generate hydrogen. Actual water use depends on local climate: humid locations may allow for some water recovery, while very dry locations may see higher water needs. Site-specific protocols are in place to manage sustainable water use.
Aircela machines are fully modular and designed for distributed deployment. Like solar farms, systems can range from a single unit to hundreds or thousands deployed together depending on local fuel demand. Whether it’s one machine or many networked together, the system scales flexibly without requiring centralized refineries or complex infrastructure.
Anywhere there is renewable electricity, water, and ambient air. Because Aircela’s systems don’t rely on pipelines, large refineries, or heavy infrastructure, they can be deployed in places where conventional fuel supply chains are limited or impractical — from private driveways and homes to remote areas and distributed networks. The system is designed to bring fuel production closer to where it's actually needed.
Our long-term goal is to make fossil-free fuel cost-competitive with today’s gasoline. The largest cost drivers are renewable electricity prices and machine manufacturing costs. As we scale, we expect substantial cost reductions, especially as production moves to mass manufacturing using widely available, affordable materials.
Yes. Aircela’s compact, modular machines are intentionally designed for distributed production – allowing us to scale across many locations without relying on massive centralized refineries. This approach reduces transportation needs, simplifies deployment, and enables fuel production even in regions that are difficult to reach through conventional fuel supply chains.
Yes — and that’s what makes the system carbon-neutral. The CO₂ released at combustion is the same CO₂ previously captured from the air. No new fossil carbon is added to the atmosphere.
Mass manufacturing, efficiency improvements, and falling renewable energy prices will all drive costs down. Our approach was designed specifically for manufacturability — using no exotic materials or precious metals — to ensure affordability as we scale.
Aircela is currently building strategic partnerships and raising capital as we scale production and prepare for commercial deployment.
No — Aircela is a private company.
If you’re an accredited investor or strategic partner and would like to explore investment opportunities, you're welcome to contact us directly through our website.
We are targeting limited commercial availability in select U.S. markets starting in late 2026, followed by broader deployment as we scale production.
Currently, we are working with early beta partners to validate the system in real-world conditions across different environments and use cases. The technology is fully built and operational, and field testing helps us refine performance as we scale. Our ultimate goal is to make Aircela machines available to anyone with a need for fossil-free fuel.
As long as a site has access to renewable electricity, water, and ambient air, Aircela systems can operate. Our distributed design allows us to deploy globally across a wide range of regions.
You can sign up directly on our website to receive updates and early access information as machines become available.