Automotive giant BMW Group and energy firm Eni have partnered to power corporate fleet vehicles in Italy using HVOlution, a diesel biofuel derived entirely from renewable feedstocks. The fuel is produced by Enilive, Eni’s dedicated sustainable mobility subsidiary, which manufactures the biofuel primarily from waste products and residues such as used cooking oil and animal fats.
The initiative aligns with BMW’s broader strategy to establish an “Eligible Fuels only-fleet” for its corporate clients. Because Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil is a “drop-in” fuel, it satisfies the European EN 15940 fuel standard and requires no modifications to existing diesel engines or distribution infrastructure. BMW has already approved the use of HVO for all its diesel models registered from late 2014 onwards that feature Generation B engines.
To support the deployment, BMW has initiated demo and development fleets running on pure HVO across Italy, Germany, and Austria, leveraging Enilive’s network of approximately 1,700 service stations. Alongside the rollout, BMW is trialling a new technical solution that cross-references real-time vehicle refuelling data with fleet payment systems, ensuring transparent traceability of the exact fuel used by each vehicle. To further raise consumer awareness, BMW Italia will provide an Enilive HVOlution voucher to all customers purchasing new diesel vehicles in Italy.
The environmental benefits of the transition are notable. Data from 2025 indicates that Enilive’s HVO achieved an average greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 79.5% across its supply chain compared to the standard fossil fuel mix. Given that there are currently more than 250 million existing vehicles on European roads, both companies highlighted that increasing the proportion of non-fossil renewable fuels offers an immediate and practical method to curb emissions alongside the development of alternative powertrain technologies.
Dr Martin Kaufmann, Senior Vice President of Powertrain Development at BMW Group, expressed satisfaction with the partnership, noting that Eni will also utilize BMW vehicles within its own corporate operations while acting as a major force in pushing renewable fuels across Europe.
Stefano Ballista, Chief Executive Officer of Enilive, described the expanded cooperation as a tangible example of integrated partnership between the automotive and energy industries, offering an effective, readily available solution to accelerate the decarbonisation of road transport today.
