Renewable Fuel Road Test Aims to Convince Brussels

A groundbreaking road test of renewable fuel is underway in Spain, featuring a fleet of 20 vehicles from Toyota, Lexus, BMW, and MINI. These cars are running on Nexa 95, a gasoline produced entirely from renewable raw materials by Repsol, and are being driven in normal traffic conditions.

The project's core objective is to demonstrate that curbing transport emissions can be achieved without exclusively replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with electric ones. Renewable fuels offer a viable alternative, allowing current vehicles on the road to reduce their carbon footprint without requiring the construction of new factories, charging networks, or separate distribution infrastructure.

Nexa 95 is fully compatible with modern gasoline engines and existing fuel stations. It is produced from raw materials that meet EU directive requirements, including waste and production residues. While the fuel does not make cars emission-free during operation, its primary benefit lies in significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions calculated across the fuel's entire lifecycle.

Bosch is implementing its Digital Fuel Twin system to meticulously track the fuel's journey. This system will collect and compare data from vehicles, fuel stations, and fleet card transactions, creating a digital record from market entry to combustion in a specific car. This digital certification is crucial for the fuel's regulatory and business credibility, moving beyond supplier declarations to provide measurable data for companies, institutions, and regulators.

The initiative highlights the potential of renewable fuels to extend the life of millions of existing combustion engine cars in Europe, complementing the growth of electromobility. Toyota and BMW advocate for renewable fuels as a way to reduce the carbon footprint of classic hybrids and plug-in hybrids when their combustion engines are in use.