BMW and Toyota Put Renewable Gasoline to the Test on Public Roads

A new pilot program in Spain is putting renewable gasoline to the test in real-world conditions, with BMW and Toyota leading the charge. The six-month trial involves roughly 20 vehicles running on Repsol’s Nexa 95, a fully renewable gasoline made from feedstocks like agricultural waste and used oils.

Bosch is also on board, supplying its digital fuel-tracking system to monitor every fill-up and collect hard data on emissions and performance.

The location is no accident, Spain was chosen because Repsol already sells renewable gasoline at public stations, making the test practical from day one. The fleet includes BMW, Toyota, and Lexus models drawn from the companies’ own corporate fleets. No mechanical modifications are needed; drivers simply fill up as usual.

The goal is to prove that cutting emissions isn’t just about pushing everyone into expensive new electric cars. 5 billion vehicles already on the road worldwide. BMW argues that decarbonization has to include the cars people already own.

Renewable gasoline can significantly reduce greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuels, and this test aims to show it’s a viable option right now, not a distant promise. Whether production can be scaled to meet demand remains an open question, but every real-world step matters. As BMW puts it, expecting a full switch to EVs overnight isn’t realistic.

This trial is a practical bet that drop-in renewable fuels can buy us time and cut emissions while the world figures out the rest.