In a survey of 5,000 people across five Asian countries – Pakistan, China, India, Singapore and Vietnam – Shell discovered that nine out of ten Asian drivers are aware that a high quality motor oil can help improve their vehicle’s fuel efficiency. China (98%) was the highest, while Singapore (70%) was the lowest.
While findings vary by country, the numbers also showed that 87% of all those surveyed knew the importance of choosing the right type of motor oil suitable for their respective vehicles. Eight in ten chose their brand or type of motor oil according to the recommendations of their mechanic or vehicle manufacturer. In India, 66% followed their vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation while in Singapore, 53% followed their mechanic’s recommendation.
A majority of drivers surveyed (six out of ten) also said that they leave the task of changing their oil to professional mechanics at private or original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-approved workshops. Vietnamese drivers are more likely to have their oil changed at a private workshop (47%) than at OEM workshops (23%).
Interestingly, six out of ten drivers said they were not aware of the difference between synthetic and conventional mineral motor oils. In particular, a greater proportion (70%) of drivers in Pakistan and Vietnam said they did not know the difference between these two types of motor oils. With advancing engine technology, more and more vehicle manufacturers are recommending fully synthetic motor oils over conventional motor oils.
Another survey commissioned by Shell in Pakistan ‘Shell Super Fact or Fiction Report’ revealed that fuel efficiency is important to a majority (71%) of Pakistani motorists. That’s not all – majority of Pakistani drivers also practice fuel efficient behavior. Nearly all drive smoothly and ensure their vehicle is regularly serviced (96%). However, many drivers also believe in a number of fuel efficiency myths: 77% of drivers believe that warming up the engine before they drive makes them more fuel efficient, while 76% think driving slowly all the time does the same trick. Shockingly, 68% even believe ‘never using the heating, radio or interior lights’ will help them save fuel. These results reflect a clear need to educate Pakistani drivers to become more fuel efficient especially in choosing the right fuel and motor oil for their vehicle.
“It’s great to see that most drivers in Asia are already aware of the importance of choosing a high- quality motor oil for their vehicles. We believe that they can get even more from their motor oils. In particular, we believe synthetic motor oils can play a role, as they can help provide better engine protection and thereby, improve fuel economy. This is why Shell developed Shell PurePlus Technology. Our Shell Helix Ultra and Shell Advance Ultra ranges are underpinned by this advanced synthetic technology, offering motorists the latest and most innovative motor oil solutions today,” said Goh Swee Chen, Vice President, Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific.
Shell was the first to market motor oils made from natural gas. Shell PurePlus Technology is a breakthrough in how engine oils are formulated. It is a patented gas-to-liquids (GTL) process, developed over 40 years of research, which converts natural gas into a crystal-clear base oil. These base oils are produced at the Pearl GTL plant in Qatar, a partnership between Shell and Qatar Petroleum. From here, the base oil is shipped to Shell storage hubs (Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston, Jebel Ali) and then transported to a network of 50 Shell lubricant blending plants around the world. This is how Shell makes its latest innovation in motor oil available to customers worldwide.
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