Abstract Transportation biofuel production efficiencies and cruising ranges provided by one hectare of land are studied from a life cycle perspective in the boreal climate zone. Efficient biofuel production is essential in terms of sustainability – especially land use, biodiversity and GHG emissions. Grass methane produced by anaerobic digestion and synthetic natural gas (SNG) produced from willows by gasification provide the longest cruising ranges. However, electricity production by solar panels for electric vehicles is a significantly more efficient option than biofuels. Grass methane, straw ethanol and SNG require less primary energy per produced fuel energy than other options. Increasing biofuel production for passenger cars from cultivated biomass in the boreal climate zone should be very carefully considered because electricity for transportation is significantly more efficient.