By Christie U. Omonigho
- We are launching a strategic collaboration across multiple areas, from energy solutions for mobility to customer experience
Eni and BMW Italia just announced that they have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to develop joint initiatives aimed at supporting the energy transition of the road transport sector.
From an email statement sent to Energy Window International (Media) Eni said the agreement would seek to integrate biofuels with an increasingly broad offering of electric mobility services. HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) which is the diesel biofuel produced by Enilive from 100% renewable raw materials represents, Eni says, a ready-made solution to transport decarbonization. It said pure HVO which can now be used by validated engines is already distributed through existing infrastructure.
Energy Window International (Media) has also gathered that the agreement was framed within the current landscape of the mobility sector which according to Eni is currently undergoing a profound transformation. “This significant shift, driven by the emission reduction targets, will impact both automotive manufacturers and energy operators alike.”
The Letter of Intent according to Eni will be based on three core pillars including, fostering sustainable mobility rooted in the principle of technological neutrality and synergy among the different available solutions and energy vectors; implementing new proposals in the realm of biofuels, and the expansion of the electric mobility infrastructure – which will be all about identifying potential areas of installing new Plenitude On The Road recharging hubs which also aims at offering BMW’s customers an increasingly widespread network.
The collaboration will also include, Energy Window International (Media) was meant to understand, a potential test of Enilive’s HVO for BMW diesel engines and the realization of joint projects with Plenitude related to marketing initiatives and the development of electric charging network.
Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni commented: “Eni and BMW Italia, prominent leaders in their respective sectors, are pooling their technology and expertise to advance significantly towards the decarbonization of transport. Our partnership exemplifies the synergy between energy players and industry, with the objective of fostering a supportive ecosystem capable of integrating research and technological development, market demand, and decarbonization targets. To achieve a successful energy transition, it is crucial to combine efforts across the various economic and industrial sectors requiring decarbonization, leveraging all available sustainable technologies and industrial initiatives.”
Massimiliano Di Silvestre, President and CEO of BMW Italia was also captured to have said: “Our approach has consistently been rooted in technological openness and in the commitment to decarbonizing through all available, highly efficient technologies. In this regard, we believe that employing biofuels such as pure HVO in diesel engines presents a significant opportunity. This applies equally to both our new BMW’s vehicles and the existing fleet of approximately 500,000 BMW in Italy, delivering immediate environmental benefits with up to a 90% reduction in GHG emissions. BMW has been ready for this technology since 2015, and we are proud to collaborate with Eni and Enilive to promote biofuels in the market. Furthermore, we continue our partnership with Plenitude in the electric vehicle sector, particularly regarding charging infrastructure and offering dedicated services to customers who opt for our electric mobility solutions”.
*In accordance with the EU Renewable Energy Directive.