A fleet of BMW and Toyota vehicles are being used to test the viability of renewable fuels, as part of a six month pilot. The project is part of a collaboration between Bosch, Repsol and the two car makers. It aims to provide tangible, real-world evidence that vehicles exclusively running on renewable gasoline can be effectively deployed at scale, supporting ongoing European policy discussions on decarbonising the automotive sector.
Pascal Ruch, vice president corporate and governmental affairs, Toyota Motor Europe, said: “We believe renewable fuels can play a key role alongside electrification in reducing CO2 emissions. As the transition progresses, it is becoming clear that there is a growing risk that 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2035 may not be fully achieved.
“In such a scenario, renewable fuels can help bridge the gap to deliver carbon neutrality, especially when combined with hybrid and plug-in hybrid technologies. This pilot aims to demonstrate how renewable fuels can make a meaningful and sustainable contribution to decarbonisation today, for both new and existing vehicles.”
Rationale Behind the Pilot
The EU and Germany have already reached an agreement that will allow some ICE cars to be sold beyond 2035, if they fill up exclusively with CO2-neutral fuels. However, the Department for Transport ruled renewable fuels as an alternative to petrol and diesel in the UK.
Unlike solutions that require new vehicle technologies or infrastructure investments, the pilot uses unmodified Toyota, Lexus and BMW vehicles. It highlights the immediate scalability of renewable fuels as a drop-in solution for decarbonising road transport, which can help fleet overhaul efforts.
Technology and Infrastructure
Repsol’s Nexa 95 renewable gasoline is produced from RED-compliant feedstocks, offering significant greenhouse gas reductions compared to fossil fuels, while remaining fully compatible with today’s gasoline engines and infrastructure.
Estíbaliz Pombo, deputy director of Energy Products at Repsol, said: “At Repsol, we believe every emissions-reduction solution has a role to play in decarbonising transport. This project shows how renewable fuels can expand consumer choice, offering another way to reduce carbon footprints using existing vehicles and infrastructure.
“As the only company currently supplying 100% renewable gasoline at public service stations in Spain, Repsol is proud to contribute its expertise and infrastructure alongside Toyota, BMW, and Bosch. The project’s real-world data will demonstrate the value of a technology-neutral approach to Europe’s mobility transition.”
Bosch’s digital fuel tracking solution will collect and validate refuelling data from multiple sources, including vehicle data, fuel stations and fuel card transactions, ensuring robust, transparent tracking of renewable fuel usage.
Sharing Data and Findings
Data and intermediate findings from the pilot will be shared with EU policymakers, industry stakeholders and media audiences, contributing to discussions around technology neutrality and the potential inclusion of vehicles running on renewable fuels within future regulatory frameworks.
This development could have significant implications for the automotive industry, particularly for those who may not have access to electric vehicles. The use of renewable fuels could provide a viable alternative, allowing for a more gradual transition to cleaner energy sources.
The pilot is a step towards reducing CO2 emissions and achieving carbon neutrality in the automotive sector.
They will focus on collecting data and sharing findings with relevant stakeholders.
The collaboration between BMW, Toyota, Bosch, and Repsol demonstrates a commitment to finding solutions to the challenges facing the automotive industry, which will likely lead to better healthcare outcomes in the long run.
