Starting in January, BMW will power its newly produced German-made diesel models exclusively with HVO 100, a high-quality, eco-friendly hydrotreated vegetable oil.
The German automotive manufacturer is collaborating with Finnish producer Neste on an innovative initiative, recycling end-of-life diesel vehicles by fueling them with a sustainable gasoline derived from various waste sources, including used cooking oil, residual materials, and other renewable feedstocks. While palm oil may not be a direct component in manufacturing or products, its byproduct significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, emitting 90% less over its lifecycle compared to traditional fossil diesel. Currently, new diesel vehicles do not come with a full tank, but rather arrive at BMW’s sales arm with around 5-8 liters less.
By 2025, BMW plans to transition its production facilities in Munich, Dingolfing, Regensburg, and Leipzig from traditional fuels to sustainable hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) power. Throughout Germany, numerous gas stations now offer the newly developed gasoline, which has been used by BMW in a few of its logistics vans since March 2023.
According to BMW Chairman Oliver Zipse, every metric ton of CO2 reduction matters significantly for local weather safety. “The approximately 250 million vehicles currently on European roads pose a significant challenge: by increasing the regenerative share of fuel, their CO2 emissions could be substantially reduced.” From January 2025, we will proactively replace all diesel fuels manufactured in Germany with HVO 100, a high-quality, low-carbon alternative, ahead of supply to dealerships – featuring up to a 90 percent reduction in CO2e emissions across our entire balance sheet.
As the automotive industry’s transition to sustainable energy sources gathers pace, BMW, a pioneer in internal combustion engine (ICE) fashioning, has made a significant move by joining the eFuel Alliance – a global coalition of 170 companies driving innovation in electrofuels. The corporate group comprises various entities, including Suzuki, Mazda, Bosch, Siemens, and Honeywell, among a diverse range of other companies.
