20 Jul 2026
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., T2 Inc., and Isuzu Motors Limited have announced a strategic collaboration to accelerate the adoption of next-generation biodiesel fuel in Japan's truck transport sector, supporting the country's transition toward carbon neutrality.
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., T2 Inc., and Isuzu Motors Limited, all headquartered in Japan, have begun a collaboration to promote the adoption of next-generation biodiesel fuel in the truck transport sector, with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality.
T2 Inc. is a Japanese technology and logistics startup specialising in autonomous commercial trucking solutions to address Japan’s driver shortages and decarbonisation goals.
The company provides Level 2 autonomous truck operations to major transport providers, operating along a key 500-kilometer freight corridor between the Kanto and Kansai regions.
To facilitate seamless long-haul freight, T2 has established specialised “transgate” transfer hubs in Kanagawa and Hyogo prefectures, where trucks can transition between automated driving on expressways and manual driving by human operators on local roads. T2 is currently scaling its operations with the goal of launching fully unmanned, Level 4 autonomous trunk-line transport services by fiscal year 2027.
From this summer, Idemitsu will supply its next-generation biodiesel fuel, Idemitsu Renewable Diesel (IRD), to T2. T2 will trial IRD in the commercial operation of its Level 2 autonomous trucks. Isuzu will provide repair and maintenance services for T2’s autonomous trucks using IRD, on operational terms equivalent to those for vehicles using conventional diesel.
The number of refuelling locations for next-generation biodiesel fuel remains insufficient, and prices are currently higher than for conventional fuel, the companies said, while the effects on truck performance and durability, and repair and service arrangements, have not been fully established. As a first step to address these challenges, the three companies will work together to verify the effectiveness of refuelling operations through continued use of IRD in T2’s autonomous truck operations.
Idemitsu will use the collaboration to promote refuelling using portable fuel tanks, aiming to create an operating environment that does not depend on fixed facilities such as buried fuel tanks, so transport companies can use IRD more flexibly. The company will also consider developing dedicated IRD refuelling service stations and blended renewable diesel fuel.
T2 has built transgate transfer points in Kanagawa and Hyogo prefectures, Japan, where drivers can switch between unmanned operation on expressways and manned operation on ordinary roads, ahead of expected Level 4 autonomous trucking for trunk-line transport from fiscal year 2027.
The detailed article is published by https://biofuelsdigest.com/ can be accessed from https://biofuelsdigest.com/t2-and-isuzu-motors-test-idemitsu-kosans-biodiesel/
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