SECTOR FOCUS: AUTOMOTIVE PCEO
Developing basestocks to meet automotive regulations for lower emissions and improved economy
Najeeb Kuzhiyil and Babak Lotfi, Customer Application Development, ExxonMobil
Improved polyalphaolefin (PAO) base stocks designed to address the market needs of improved fuel economy and energy efficiency offer lower viscosity and volatility than conventional PAO and Group III base stocks.
Introduction
Over the past 30 years, polyalphaolefin (PAO) base stocks have been used extensively in automotive lubricants. These applications include engine oils, transmission fluids, and driveline fluids for passenger and heavy-duty vehicles.
PAO base stocks are synthetic molecules that resemble the hydrocarbon structure found in mineral oils. But PAO base stocks also offer high viscosity index, excellent low-temperature flow and pour-point characteristics, and good thermal and oxidation stability compared to mineral oils. The lack of lighter hydrocarbons lowers their volatility and raises their flashpoint.
New challenges in the automotive industry have arisen from the global trends toward lower emissions, improved energy efficiency, greater fuel economy, and electric vehicles (EVs). These challenges have highlighted the need to go beyond conventional PAO technology.
Stricter emissions standards are driving the need for improved fuel efficiency
Over the past decade, the most dominant global
around-world. [Accessed: 12-Dec-2021]. 2
“CO2 trend in the automotive industry has been fuel
economy. The trends favoring reduced CO2 emissions and improved fuel economy will only become more impactful as new and more stringent government policies and regulations are proposed and implemented.
Since 1997, there has been a 20-fold increase in global climate change laws, with more than 1,200 relevant policies across 164 countries.1
regulations are focused on reducing CO2
and increasing the fuel economy of passenger vehicles.
In 2021, the European Union proposed a CO2 emission reduction target for new passenger
vehicles. The proposal would cut emissions 55% by 2030 and 100% by 2050 from 2021 levels. These new regulations would speed up the adoption of zero-emission EVs in the market.2
Many of these emissions
Likewise, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency has proposed strengthening standards for cars and light trucks. The plan would increase efficiency by 10% in 2023, followed by a 5% increase each year from 2024 through 2026.3
1 “Mapped: Climate change laws around the world,” Carbon Brief, 06-Aug-2018. [Online]. Available:
https://www.carbonbrief.org/mapped-climate-change-laws- emission performance standards for cars and Vans,” Climate Action. [Online]. Available:
https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/european-green-deal/
delivering-european-green-deal/co2-emission-performance-standards-cars-and-vans_en. [Accessed: 12-Dec-2021]. 3
EPA. [Online]. Available:
https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/proposed-rule-revise-existing-national-ghg-emissions. [Accessed: 12-Dec-2021].
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LUBE MAGAZINE NO.168 APRIL 2022
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