Toyota has asked European authorities to treat a specific group of internal-combustion cars as zero-emission vehicles. The automaker argues that any car that runs only on fuels meeting the renewable-fuel criteria should be counted the same as an electric vehicle for compliance purposes.
This request joins a wider discussion across the continent about how to handle combustion engines after the 2035 deadline that obliges new cars and vans to achieve a full cut in fleet-wide CO₂ emissions. Policymakers are currently reviewing how the upcoming rules will be measured and enforced.
The company wants regulators to adopt the proposal within a definition that mirrors the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive, which already outlines what qualifies as a renewable fuel. It describes the appeal as a call for “partnership and pragmatism” between industry and legislators.
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The central element of the suggestion is the term “exclusively.” Rather than granting a green badge to every gasoline-powered vehicle, the automaker seeks recognition only for cars that are ever fueled with the approved renewable blend.
In July, Toyota teamed up with BMW, Bosch and Repsol to launch a six-month pilot in Spain. The trial involves roughly 20 cars that run on Repsol’s 100-percent renewable gasoline, and Bosch provides a digital tracking system that records each refuel event to confirm the fuel’s origin.
A key regulatory challenge is guaranteeing that a vehicle labelled as renewable-fuel-only never receives a drop of conventional gasoline. If an owner chooses a different fuel at any point, the credibility of the zero-emission label could be compromised.
