Biofuel was used in Super Formula for the first time this year. Toyota Times News has spent four years following its development in Fukushima Prefecture, from research and development to practical application.
In April 2026, Super Formula—Japan’s premier formula racing series, with cars exceeding 300 kph—-kicked off its latest season.
This season, all participating cars ran on low-carbon E10 gasoline containing bioethanol produced in Fukushima Prefecture.
Bioethanol, a type of alcohol made from plants, has the potential to become a viable next-generation alternative to gasoline.
The fuel used in Super Formula was developed by the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels, a consortium of seven companies including Toyota that is conducting research into the practical application of bioethanol for automobiles.
Toyota Times News has been covering the association since its establishment in 2022, when research began in Namie, Fukushima, including the selection of plant materials.
While following the project’s research and development efforts, one theme became clear: a desire to achieve carbon neutrality while contributing to Fukushima’s recovery from the disaster.
Farmland left untouched since the Great East Japan Earthquake has been used to grow the plant materials, and the research facility was built in 2024 in Okuma, the town where the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is located. Guided by this shared vision of recovery, the public-private partnership is now entering a new phase four years on.