Reducing GHG through Innovative Engine Oil Development
While automotive manufacturers continue to increase their focus on electrification to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is well known that the vast majority of vehicles on the road globally will continue to rely on an internal combustion engine (ICE) for primary or secondary power generation for at least another 20 to 25 years. With an estimated 1.2 to 1.4 billion vehicles on the road today, employing innovative engine oil formulation technology can provide GHG reductions in these vehicles in the near term, with cumulative impacts providing significant improvements in air quality throughout this transition period.
Following this approach, the authors have used a low phosphorus, high molybdenum (LPHM) formulation approach to enable CO2 reductions through direct fuel economy improvement as well as hydrocarbon reductions by extending catalytic converter life. Most importantly, these improvements have been demonstrated without any negative impacts on durability.
The authors support these improvements with data from industry standard engine tests, vehicle chassis dynamometer tests, and multiple field trials. The results suggest no less than a 1.7% fuel economy improvement across all test types while maintaining excellent performance in key areas such as low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI), sludge, and wear protection.