Shell Malaysia has launched its new Diesel, and the formulation, which replaces the existing one, is available as of today at all the company’s 900-plus retail stations nationwide.
The improved Shell Diesel with Fuel Economy formula is touted by the company to offer you more kilometres for your buck. Besides improved fuel economy, the fuel features enhanced anti-foaming and anti-corrosion properties and will help keep your engine clean.
Welcoming the new Diesel with Fuel Economy formula.
It is also claimed to offer better combustion, designed to ignite and burn quicker than regular diesel. The best part is that it doesn’t cost a sen more.
No technical specifics on the new diesel were available at the launch, but to a question posed about sulphur content levels on the new Diesel, Shell Malaysia states that the fuel adheres to tolerances within the national legislated levels for diesel, which is still at MS123 standard (with a max permissible sulphur content of 3,000 parts per million) since the proposed move by the Government towards Euro II compliance (500ppm) continues to be suspended.
Good as the introduction of an improved fuel economy diesel is for Malaysian motorists, and Shell is the first to offer a product of such a nature here, it will be interesting to see when Shell Malaysia will introduce something like an Ultra-Low Sulphur Diesel formulation in the country; close to home, Shell Singapore will be rolling out its 50ppm, Euro IV-compliant ULSD fuel in mid-Sept at all its 62 stations offering diesel at the pump, even as the country’s legislation allows for a max of 500ppm for diesel.
The topic I discuss below is inter-alia related to why we still have not start to adopt a more higher EU emission standard diesel.
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC is an amendment to the international treaty signed in 1992 on climate change, assigning mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations. The objective of the protocol is the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.Malaysia is a party to the UNFCCC and has ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
As a developing country, Malaysia has no QUANTITATIVE commitments under the Kyoto Protocol at present. That’s right; because of this we do not have need to have the urgency to adopt the higher EU emission standard diesel, not yet.
Cost
The transition to ULSD is not without substantial costs. The US Government has estimated that pump prices for diesel fuel will increase between $.05 and $.25 per gallon as a result of the transition. And, according to the American Petroleum Institute, the domestic refining industry has invested over $8 Billion to comply with the new regulations.
Proton and Perodua
Another main factor that contributed to the slowness in adopting the higher EU emission standard is: both of our national car manufacturer IS NOT READY. Have you heard any of them developing good diesel engine that will meet even EURO III standard? The last time Proton did by putting up the diesel version of Wira which was a market failure.
Anyway, hats off to Shell to launch its new diesel fuel in 2008.
For us I think we really missed out many fantastic diesel car out there as they have being made into EURO IV compliant engine which cannot use our local diesel.