This summer, Toyota hybrid vehicles supplied by rental firm Mitta in southern Chile will use e-gasoline produced by HIF’s Haru Oni e-fuel plant.

The Route Zero scheme will see 2,500 litres of e-fuel dispensed from a petrol station in Punta Arenas, representing a modest offtake from the 130,000 litres per year Haru Oni plant.

It is likely these volumes will only make up a small portion of all fuel consumed, with drivers expected to cover over 18,000 miles.

The e-gasoline, produced by combining green hydrogen with recycled carbon dioxide, is chemically identical to petrol, meaning no vehicles or refuelling infrastructure needs adaptation.

Víctor Turpaud, CEO of HIF’s Latam subsidiary, said the initiative would allow travellers to explore Patagonia in a way that supports “sustainable tourism.”

With green hydrogen-based fuels facing high cost barriers for mainstream markets, proponents suggest “luxury” market segments could be an early demand centre.

The initiative builds on HIFs collaboration with Antarctica21. The tourism operator is using the e-gasoline to power ten of its guest transport vessels in the Antarctic.

The Haru Oni plant has been operational since 2022. It uses wind energy to power electrolysis for hydrogen production, which is synthesised with recycled carbon dioxide into e-fuels.