Austrian haulage firm König Transporte has managed to reduce its fleet average fuel consumption by just over 2% through a trial use of Castrol's premium synthetic motor oil.
König, which operates throughout Europe and the UK, ran 28 tractor units on Castrol Elixion low-viscosity 5W-30 engine oil over nine months. It achieved a 2.2% improvement in fuel efficiency when compared with the 10W-40 grade lubricant the company had previously been using.
A recent government-commissioned report from consultancy Ricardo suggested that low viscosity oils could help reduce CO2 emissions - chiefly through improved fuel consumption - by 1.5%.
Marc Lawn, head of marketing for Castrol Europe and Africa, says: "With Elixion, operators can improve fuel economy by up to 4% depending on the driving conditions, but the proof is in real-world examples.
"The oils have been extensively tested in labs in controlled conditions, but the proof of the oil's benefits comes from operators such as König."
Castrol says that in addition to the fuel-efficiency benefits, Elixion can also reduce oil consumption by up to 10%.
Lawn adds: "In order to produce an engine oil that can reduce fuel economy, we've worked closely with OEMs like Scania and MAN. The key part is reducing friction in the engine, which then has an effect on lowering fuel consumption and [therefore] emissions. The lubricant also helps to lower the engine's operating temperature, which again aids in improving efficiency."
With developments in oil lubricant technology, synthetic oils are fast replacing conventional mineral oils in the commercial vehicle market. Lawn says: "There is a natural trend towards synthetic oils, but whether or not they'll replace mineral lubricants is another matter.
"Synthetics allow us to create more high-performance oils that are more durable and extend mileage between oil changes. Ultimately, it's still down to the operator's preference, but the market looks to be heading toward synthetics."
Related used vehicles for sale
