70 vehicles put PH Euro4 fuels to ‘midnight express’ test

Photos by Tessa R. Salazar

 

Last May 27, at the stroke of midnight, the Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with Petron Corp., used 70 diesel- and gasoline-powered vehicles of different categories and from different manufacturers on a fuel efficiency run using Euro 4 fuels.

 

This 300-kilometer fuel efficiency run marks the first time the energy department used Euro 4 fuels. It is hoped that the results of the test—which would be released to the media on June 14—would help Pinoy motorists make more informed purchase decisions on their vehicles’ fuels.

 

The results are also highly anticipated for the all-important data of how the different vehicles consumed fuels—a topic that, based on past DOE fuel runs, has been subject to much discussion.

 

For now, everyone involved in this endeavor—from the car manufacturers to the local motoring media—would have to wait with bated breath until June 14 for the official fuel efficiency results, much like how the people waited for the official results of the 2016 national elections.

 

On that day, the DOE would present the official results to the car company executives during the gala night hosted by Petron at Makati Diamond Hotel.

 

The public-private partnership between DOE and Petron was widely supported by automobile companies affiliated with the two major industry associations—the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) and Alliance of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (Avid).

 

The DOE-Petron Euro 4 fuel run was an occasion to literally lose sleep for, as the 300-km drive that started at midnight of May 27 at the Petron station in Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga, took 5 hours to complete, and traversed the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx).

 

A total of 38 gasoline-powered vehicles and 32 diesel-powered ones, using the Petron Euro 4 XCS and the Euro 4 Turbo Diesel fuel variants, respectively, formed one long convoy.

 

The car companies fielded their own driver-navigator teams for the run, with independent observers riding shotgun to ensure that guidelines were complied with.

 

Organizers from the DOE said the results would show how efficient the vehicles are.

 

Part of DOE’s mandate would be to make sure that the oil companies are supplying quality fuels in the market. The use of Euro 4 fuels has been mandated in the Philippines since January.

 

“The DOE’s thrust is to have an energy efficiency program, and we would like to have an energy efficiency labeling program for vehicles. This could be a jump-start to more intensive social awareness and realization of the objective of the DOE for a sustainable energy efficiency project in the transportation department,” said DOE Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos.

 

The DOE’s initiative is to strengthen the country’s energy efficiency and conservation efforts by expanding the Philippine Energy Standards and Labeling Program (PESLP) to include light duty motor vehicles.

“One of the biggest contributors of GHG (greenhouse gas) and CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions in our environment is the transport sector. The DOE initiated [the PESLP] for Philippine standards and an energy efficiency labeling program, especially for vehicles. With its 36-percent contribution to GHG and CO2 emissions, this is a big issue to be addressed,” Marcos added.

 

Marcos cited a World Bank study showing the country has been incurring P19 billion in health spending every year.

 

“Particulate matter penetrate the lungs of the children and senior citizens. This is of great importance for the next generation, and for those who are still here. We need to be healthy participants in this very significant program,” Marcos said.

 

“The DOE is looking at labeling the efficiency of every vehicle in the future. Our goal is to saturate all vehicles to come up with a really good and significant contribution addressing the emissions of GHG and CO2,” he said.

 

“From Euro 2 fuels, which emit 550 ppm, we became Euro 4. The DOE has been inspecting all gas stations [to make sure] Euro 4 fuels will be used. [This kind of fuel is] a 90-percent reduction in sulfur content, to 50 ppm,” Marcos pointed out.

 

This Clean Air initiative sets the allowable sulfur content for gasoline and diesel fuels at 50 ppm, which is 10 times cleaner than Euro 2 fuels.

 

The participating car companies include Asianbrands Motors Corp. (Mahindra), Automobile Central Enterprise Inc. (Volkswagen), Bayan Automotive Industries Corp. (BAIC), Berjaya Auto Philippines (Mazda), British United Automobiles Inc., Columbian Autocar Corp.  (Kia), Eurobrands Distributor Inc. (Peugeot), Ford Group Philippines, Honda Cars Philippines Inc., Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., Isuzu Philippines Corp., Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp., Motor Image Philippines Inc. (Subaru), Nissan Philippines Inc., PGA Cars Inc. (Audi/Porsche), Pilipinas Taj Autogroup Inc. (Tata Motors), Suzuki Philippines Inc., The Covenant Car Company Inc. (Chevrolet), Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., United Asia Automotive Group Inc. (Foton), and Volvo Philippines.

 

Petron claims it is the first oil company to locally produce a full lineup of gasoline variants that meet Euro 4 standards, six months ahead of the government mandate requiring all fuels sold in the country to meet the Philippine Euro 4 standard by January.

 

Petron formulated its Euro 4 fuels with advanced additives to deliver TriActiv benefits, namely better engine protection for longer engine life, better mileage for longer drives, and better power.

 

Petron’s lineup of Euro 4 fuels are available at all 2,200 Petron service stations nationwide.

 

Petron invested $2 billion to upgrade its Bataan Refinery and ensure the reliable production of more environment-friendly and premium fuels. It also operates a fuel additives blending plant in Subic Bay in partnership with the leading global fuel specialties company Innospec.