Beijing to launch new fuel grading system

The Beijing government said it will revise its current fuel grading system with lower octane ratings so as to meet a stricter emission standard. Effective May 31, gasoline stations in the capital city will no longer offer gasoline with octane ratings of 90, 93 and 97. These will be replaced instead by 89, 92 and 95-octane gasoline, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce announced in its website. Octane rating is a standard measure of the performance of a motor fuel. Fuels with a higher octane rating are used in high-compression engines that generally have higher performance. Use of gasoline with low octane numbers may lead to engine knocking.