Swiss entrepreneur Kenny Eichenberger has made a multi-million-franc direct investment in Synhelion, a Zurich-based company developing synthetic fuels designed to decarbonize aviation, maritime and road transport while remaining compatible with existing engines.
Eichenberger, whose family-owned Kenny’s Auto-Center operates Mercedes-Benz and Smart dealerships across Switzerland, described the investment as one of his most significant private commitments. Synhelion’s technology converts renewable energy and biogenic waste into synthetic kerosene, diesel and gasoline using a thermochemical process powered by high-temperature solar heat. The carbon feedstock is sourced from raw biogas derived from organic residues, a globally available material that Synhelion says is less constrained than the feedstocks used in conventional biofuels.
For Eichenberger, a collector of classic Mercedes-Benz models including a 300 SL, the appeal lies in the compatibility of Synhelion’s fuels with existing infrastructure. He has tested the e-fuel in one of his vintage vehicles and asserts that it could serve as a viable pathway to sustain internal combustion engines amid tightening emissions regulations.
Cost remains the critical factor. Eichenberger estimates that large-scale production could bring the fuel to 80 Swiss centimes per liter, a level he believes would enable market competitiveness. Synhelion cites an independent assessment by DNV projecting production costs below €1,000 per metric ton at industrial scale, a threshold comparable to imported fossil fuels.
Scaling Synhelion’s operations will require substantial capital. The company estimates that a commercial-scale plant producing around 30,000 tons of fuel annually would require between 400 million and 1 billion Swiss francs in investment. Eichenberger, who serves as a strategic advisor to the founders, emphasized that financing remains the primary bottleneck to rapid expansion. He also suggested that an eventual initial public offering could unlock further growth, though no timeline has been set.
Synhelion holds 23 patent families covering its process, which integrates renewable power with biogenic carbon sources to produce drop-in synthetic fuels. The company has conducted test flights with Swiss International Air Lines using its sustainable aviation fuel, reinforcing its position in the emerging e-fuels sector.
