Should I fuel up my car with RON95 or RON97 petrol? Drivers will inadvertently ask this question that determines their driving experience.
Why would you want to pump RON97 when RON95 works just as well, on top of being a tad more affordable? Are you very sure there's no difference between the two if one is pricier?
Shell fuel scientist Colin Chin, who has done all kinds of fuel research ranging from petrol and diesel for vehicles to black heavy fuel oil used for power plants and ships, said there was a difference between the two.
With more than 29 years of experience in the industry, he said the simplest way to understand the difference was by the names and numbers.
RON, or Research Octane Number, refers to a fuel's knock resistance quality or pre-ignition resistance. The higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can withstand before detonating.
A higher compression resistant capability means less chance of an "abnormal ignition" that also translates to potentially better, more stable performance.
Fuels with a higher octane rating are generally used in higher-compression petrol engines.
The potential to yield higher power associates them with "high performance" engines - those with a higher horsepower per engine weight than one with a lower compression ratio.
So why do some higher CC-engine car owners opt to use a lower RON fuel or vice versa?
Once upon a time, it was necessary to use the appropriate fuel for your car or else, it wouldn't start properly. Older, higher CC cars needed 97 (higher octane requirement) while lower CC cars could only handle a lower octane rating.
The newer cars in the market today come with knock sensors and an engine control unit allowing them to run either range, though higher CC cars may be required to run on higher RON fuel.
Modern engines are more powerful and adaptable and, thus, can make use of the higher RON fuel more efficiently.
Older cars, however, don't benefit from this, with drivers experiencing no real difference other than the ignition phase.
BRAND ADVANTAGE
How about the difference between petrol brands? Aren't all fuel brands the same because of the RON and price they share?
Chin said the details were in the additives as the fuel we use wasn't just octane but also a formula.
What all oil tankers transport may be the same until they go through the terminals at the petrol stations. It is there that the fuel is injected with a brand's proprietary addictive before it is pumped into your vehicle.
Shell's Dynaflex is found in its Fuelsave 95 and V-Power 97 fuel options, with its friction modifier addressing fuel savings and keeping deposits (which can affect air flow and affect engine efficiency) away by reducing friction.
This leads to improved performance and fuel efficiency - with no drag to hold the car back - and cleaner inlet valves and injectors.
Given that RON97 is tied heavily to high performance engines, it is for this reason they get a better formula mix for cleaning and power optimisation. The higher octane rating, thus, indirectly reflects better performance.
What if you switched fuel brands?
Chin said this would not dilute the effects of the additives and formulation but you might not get the full benefits.
To regain the full benefits, the driver can run the fuel down as much as possible and then topping it up with the preferred fuel choice.
100-YEAR EXPERIENCE
Chin said the efforts that went into making the Dynaflex commercially viable was anything but.
"The process isn't just during distribution as there are multiple procedures involved."
He said it took three years to develop the new Dynaflex formulation, which was tested on 215 different cars before launch.
During that time, Shell's 120 fuel scientists around the world were involved in millions of kilometres of testing trials to verify that there were no side effects.
"The company has worked on fuel additives for more than a hundred years. Our engineers have the benefit of the fuel and engine technology knowledge to maximise fuel efficiency and power.
"We formulate our fuel with engines in mind and make constant updates to ensure it works on all types of cars.
"To cater to the modern engines, we need cleanliness to be top notch so that they can perform at their best."
Chin said besides being time consuming, tests also weren't as simple as driving around town while recording the fuel usage.
"They have to ensure that the friction modifiers work as intended under very scientific conditions. This is a challenge on its own as usage varies from day to day.
"The reality of testing out fuel economy is far from just fuel mileage equals cost. There are other factors to consider, such as tyre pressure, load, speeds, weather conditions and traffic.
"Everything about actual normal day-to-day driving varies. Fuel consumption varies even using the same fuel.
"Fuel quality testing is another thing. You'd need to do it under very strict testing to get a valid comparison. It has to be completely statistically proven and if the results cannot be replicated, then it does not count. Every variable has to be fixed."
FUTURE FUELSAVE
Does this mean it's time to make a leap to RON97?
Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd managing director Shairan Huzani Husain said that was unnecessary.
He said the Fuelsave with Dynaflex technology would deliver top benchmark performance, even if it was RON95.
On a broader issue, Shairan said Fuelsave was very important to Shell as it also focused on green technology.
"We believe in energy transition and that electric is the future. We have tied up with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as reducing carbon transmission is also about fuel efficiency, energy transition and industrial-level efficiency.
"We are constantly working on the many different elements of biofuel technology."
He also hinted that Shell Malaysia was preparing locations to set up a network of charging stations along the North-South Expressway for electric vehicles.