The BMW Group, in collaboration with Toyota Motor Europe (TME), Bosch and Repsol, announced the launch of a pioneering six-month pilot project in Spain. The pilot, which started in early July, wants to demonstrate the real-world potential of Vehicles running Exclusively on Eligible Fuels (VEEF).

The initiative will deploy a fleet of around 20 Toyota and BMW vehicles, powered by Repsol’s 100% renewable gasoline (Nexa 95) and supported by Bosch’s advanced digital fuel-tracking technology.

This pilot aims to provide tangible, real-world evidence that Vehicles Exclusively running on Eligible Fuels (VEEFs) can be effectively deployed at scale, supporting Europe’s transition to decarbonized mobility through a complementary, technology-neutral approach while leaving no one behind.

“Technology openness is a key pillar of the BMW Group strategy; at the same time, our goal is always to have more environmentally friendly and efficient vehicles on the road. Our vehicles, as part of this future-oriented pilot, will help to gain valuable data, helping us to offer our global customers the best and most efficient powertrain also in the future,” says Dr. Stefan Heller, Head of Development of the VEEF program at BMW Group.

‘Eligible’ fuels

Eligible fuels refer to renewable and low-carbon fuels that comply with EU sustainability criteria under the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and deliver significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions on a well-to-wheel basis compared to fossil fuels.

This includes sustainably produced biofuels and renewable fuels derived from waste, residues, or renewable energy sources, as recognized in ACEA and FuelsEurope positions supporting the deployment of Vehicles Exclusively running on Eligible Fuels (VEEF).

Three objectives

The pilot will be focusing on three objectives. First, the availability of renewable gasoline in the market, leveraging Repsol’s infrastructure, currently the only provider of 100% renewable gasoline at public fuel stations in Spain.

Secondly, the readiness of digital tracking and certification technologies, enabled by Bosch’s ‘Digital Fuel Twin’ system, which certifies renewable fuel usage across the full lifecycle.

And in the third place, the operational deployment of VEEF fleets, demonstrating that existing vehicles can run today on 100% renewable fuels using existing infrastructure.

Bosch’s system will collect and validate refueling data from multiple sources, including vehicle data, fuel stations and fuel card transactions, ensuring robust, transparent tracking of renewable fuel usage. “With our ‘Digital Fuel Twin,’ Bosch is bringing full digital transparency to the entire fuel value chain to reliably track and verify the renewable fuels from the moment they enter the market right down to the end consumer,” says Dr Marko Babic, Head of Product Area at Bosch, in charge of the Digital Fuel Twin.

“By precisely monitoring fuel usage on individual vehicles in real-time, we are building the foundation of trust and regulatory compliance needed for higher acceptance of renewable fuels in the mobility and transport sector”, he adds.

Using existing vehicles and infrastructure

Unlike solutions that require new vehicle technologies or serious infrastructure investments, the pilot uses existing Toyota and Lexus passenger cars provided by Toyota España (TES) and BMW Group fleet vehicles.

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.

Spain has been selected as the optimal location for this demonstration due to the availability of renewable gasoline. “At Repsol, we believe every emissions-reduction solution has a role to play in decarbonizing transport. This project underscores how renewable fuels can expand consumer choice, offering another way to reduce carbon footprints using existing vehicles and infrastructure,” says Estíbaliz Pombo, Deputy Director of Energy Products at Repsol.

“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,” he adds.

Complementary role

The pilot is designed to generate robust data and insights that will support ongoing European policy discussions on decarbonizing the automotive sector.

With EU policy currently focused predominantly on electrification, the project aims to demonstrate that renewable fuels can play a complementary and scalable role in reducing CO₂ emissions. “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 VEEF vehicles within future regulatory frameworks,” says the press release.

“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 the 100% zero-emission vehicle target 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,” says Pascal Ruch, Vice President Corporate & Governmental Affairs, Toyota Motor Europe.

“A key success factor of the project will be promoting the effective use of renewable fuel across the fleet, supporting emissions reductions and advocacy impact. The pilot will also provide valuable insights for R&D validation and monitoring methods, the scalability of existing approaches for tracking physical fueling, and fuel operators’ ability to link fuel consumption to individual vehicles.” In any case, that’s what the four participants are aiming for.