BMW’s latest fleet experiment isn’t a BEV, a hybrid, or even hydrogen - it’s, err - diesel... Sort of.
The company has launched a demonstration programme running entirely on HVO100, a renewable diesel made from 'hydrotreated' vegetable oil, which can cut lifecycle CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared with fossil fuel.
The scheme, shown at Fleet Europe Days in Luxembourg this week, aims to prove that existing diesel cars can be decarbonised without reinventing the wheel.
A new system developed by BMW tracks fuel data from both the vehicle and the operator’s payment network, allowing fleets to verify that every drop is genuinely HVO100.
“Especially in the area of fuels that are not based on fossil fuels, we see a potential that we are ready to realise,” said Dr Martin Kaufmann, BMW’s Head of Powertrain Development.
Initial trials are under way with large fleets in Germany and Italy, following internal tests using BMW’s own company cars.
Renewable diesel at the factory gate
Since January, every diesel BMW built in Germany – from the X1 to the 520d – has been filled with Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ for its first few litres at the plant. A symbolic move, perhaps.
The fuel they're using is sourced from Finnish company Neste and used across BMW’s Munich, Dingolfing, Regensburg and Leipzig plants.
HVO100 isn’t new - it’s already available at thousands of filling stations across northern Europe - but BMW’s integration of traceability data could make it an option for corporate fleets under pressure to meet net-zero targets without overhauling entire vehicle lineups.
Options instead of bans
BMW’s policy team has been vocal about “technological openness”, arguing that renewable fuels should complement electrification rather than be ignored by regulators.
The company wants the EU’s next Renewable Energy Directive to set binding national quotas for low-carbon fuels and to officially recognise CO₂-neutral fuels within fleet emissions legislation.
“Every measure to reduce CO₂ emissions must be taken into account,” said Dr Thomas Becker, BMW’s Head of Policy. “The fuels are available - what we need now is pragmatic and quickly implementable regulation.”
