At a time when the automotive industry is often framed as a binary choice between combustion and electrification, Stellantis is quietly advancing a third, more immediate pathway to lower emissions. At its Vigo production centre, the group—working alongside French technology specialist SPH3—has presented the Citroën Berlingo as the flagship vehicle of the HVO Aurora Trial, a Europe-wide initiative designed to prove that meaningful CO₂ reductions can happen here and now, without waiting for new vehicles or new infrastructure.

The project is refreshingly pragmatic. Rather than focusing on future concepts, the HVO Aurora Trial places real-world vehicles—a Citroën Berlingo and a Fiat Ducato—on European roads, fueled with HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil). This renewable diesel is produced from waste sources such as used cooking oil and animal fats, turning by-products of everyday life into a cleaner energy source. The goal is simple but ambitious: demonstrate that businesses and private users can significantly reduce full life-cycle CO₂ emissions immediately, while continuing to use their existing diesel vehicles.

Crucially, Stellantis emphasizes compatibility. All of its current diesel cars and light commercial vehicles are fully approved for HVO fuel under the EN15940 standard, and many Euro 5 and Euro 6 models already on the road can use it without any mechanical modification. In a market where fleet renewal cycles are long and electrification remains challenging for certain use cases, this point alone gives the project considerable weight.

What elevates the Aurora Trial beyond a simple roadshow is its data-driven backbone. Developed in collaboration with SPH3, a company specializing in smart sensors for smart fuels, the program actively monitors HVO usage and estimates CO₂ emissions in real time. This allows the trial to document measurable benefits rather than rely on theoretical calculations. In an era increasingly focused on transparency and verifiable sustainability claims, that distinction matters.

The message is clear: cleaner fuels do not have to be abstract promises or distant solutions. With the right monitoring tools, they can be tracked, measured, and validated in everyday driving conditions. For fleet operators in particular, this opens the door to immediate emissions reporting improvements without costly changes to vehicles or refuelling infrastructure.

The origins of the HVO Aurora Trial are also telling. The project was born out of Stellantis’ internal Star*Up program, a platform designed to nurture innovative ideas proposed by employees. In an industry often criticized for slow-moving corporate structures, this initiative highlights how internal collaboration, when paired with the right technology partners, can lead to solutions that are both technically sound and commercially realistic.

The Citroën Berlingo itself plays a symbolic role in this narrative. Long regarded as a workhorse for tradespeople, delivery services, and families alike, it represents exactly the kind of vehicle where incremental improvements can have outsized impact. In the context of the Aurora Trial, the Berlingo becomes more than just a van—it is a rolling example of the circular economy in action, converting waste into mobility while continuing to serve real-world needs.

As the European tour continues through key cities, Stellantis and its partners aim to collect further data, share findings, and expand awareness around circular-economy fuels. The emphasis is not on replacing electrification or other future technologies, but on complementing them—bridging the gap between today’s vehicle parc and tomorrow’s mobility landscape.

In a sector often dominated by long-term pledges and concept-driven storytelling, the HVO Aurora Trial stands out for its immediacy. It argues that sustainability does not always require reinvention, but sometimes smarter use of what already exists. If the data gathered across Europe supports Stellantis’ claims, HVO could emerge as one of the most effective transitional tools available—quietly reducing emissions, one tank at a time.

Source: Stellantis