Toyota has launched a six-month renewable fuel trial that could help demonstrate how existing petrol-powered cars can reduce their carbon footprint without requiring new vehicles or new refuelling infrastructure. In collaboration with BMW Group, Bosch and Repsol, the idea is not to replace electrification but to demonstrate how different technologies can work together to support lower-carbon mobility.
Taking place in Spain, the trial will see a fleet of around 20 Toyota, Lexus and BMW vehicles running exclusively on Repsol’s Nexa 95 renewable petrol. Throughout the project, Bosch’s Digital Fuel Twin technology will digitally track and verify the renewable fuel used by each vehicle, providing detailed data on fuel usage throughout its lifecycle.
“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 per cent 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.”
Pascal Ruch, Vice President Corporate and Governmental Affairs, Toyota Motor Europe
Unlike many alternative fuel projects that rely on prototype vehicles or future technologies, the Toyota renewable fuel pilot uses existing production cars and existing refuelling infrastructure. Toyota says the aim is to demonstrate that renewable fuels could provide an immediately deployable solution alongside other low-carbon technologies, helping to reduce emissions from vehicles already on the road without waiting for new vehicle fleets to replace them.
Taking Place In Spain
The fact that the project is happening in Spain isn’t a fluke. The country already has public access to Repsol’s renewable petrol, allowing the trial to take place under genuine day-to-day driving conditions. Toyota España is supporting the operational deployment of the vehicles throughout the six-month programme. The renewable petrol used during the trial is produced from renewable feedstocks that comply with the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive. According to Repsol, it offers significant greenhouse gas reductions compared to conventional fossil petrol while remaining fully compatible with existing petrol engines and current refuelling infrastructure.
“At Repsol, we believe every emissions-reduction solution has a role to play in decarbonising transport. This project underscores 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 per cent 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.”
Estíbaliz Pombo, Deputy Director of Energy Products at Repsol
A key part of the project is Bosch’s Digital Fuel Twin system. Rather than measuring engine performance, the technology creates a digital record that tracks renewable fuel through the supply chain and verifies its use in individual vehicles. The partners believe this level of transparency will help build confidence in renewable fuels and support future regulatory requirements. Toyota says the pilot has three main objectives of demonstrating the availability of renewable petrol through existing infrastructure, validating digital fuel tracking technologies and showing that vehicles running exclusively on eligible renewable fuels can operate successfully in everyday use.
The data gathered during the trial will also be shared with European policymakers, industry stakeholders and the media as discussions continue around the future of road transport and the role different technologies may play in reducing carbon emissions. Toyota says the project supports what it describes as a “technology-neutral” approach to decarbonising mobility, with renewable fuels working alongside electrification rather than replacing it.
For enthusiasts and owners of existing petrol-powered vehicles, the Toyota renewable fuel trial is particularly interesting as it demonstrates continued investment in solutions that could help reduce emissions without requiring entirely new vehicles or significant changes to existing refuelling infrastructure.
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