How Euro 7 Will Impact Fuels and Lubricants?
The vehicle industry is headed towards cleaner, more efficient vehicles. The Euro 7 emission standard is one of the biggest steps being taken to achieve this goal. New regulations will help reduce harmful exhaust gases and produce cleaner air; however, the Euro 7 regulations will have an impact on the way in which engines consume fuel and lubricants.
Euro 7 is not just another regulation for car owners, transport companies and fuel manufacturers. Euro 7 will alter the quality of fuel that a driver will expect from a petrol or diesel manufacturer, engine technology, maintenance practices, and the use of materials such as diesel fuel additive , petrol fuel additive, and diesel fuel additive solutions.
This blog will explain what Euro 7 is, and the effects on the fuel, lubricants, and how you drive every day.
What Is Euro 7?
The Euro 7 regulations are meant to improve vehicular emissions and reduce the number of air pollutants like nitrous oxide (NOx) and particulate matter being produced by the vehicle’s engine, as well as apply to all vehicles (gasoline and diesel).
The implementation of the Euro 7 regulations will occur in 2024-2025; however, the actual implementation date will depend on the country in which the car is being sold. Due to this, the regulations for commercial trucks and light-duty freight haulers will affect the timing of implementation for each country’s Euro 7 regulations. Also, the new regulations require that vehicle emissions be measured under real-world driving conditions and not just in an automotive test laboratory setting. So, car manufacturers need to comply with Euro 7 emission regulations during the life of the vehicle, not just when the vehicle is tested for emissions.
Euro 7 Implementation Roadmap
- November 29, 2026: Mandatory for all newly launched car and van models (Type Approval).
- November 29, 2027: Mandatory for all new vehicles sold in the EU/UK (even older models still in production).
- 2028 - 2029: Rollout for Heavy-Duty trucks and buses.
- New Focus: For the first time, emissions are measured for the entire life of the vehicle (up to 10 years or 200,000 km), meaning your engine must stay clean to stay legal.
Why Euro 7 Matters for Fuels and Lubricants
Engines have been advanced and developed to be much more precise due to recent EPA emissions regulations. Because of this, fuels and lubricants must also improve and provide better performance through cleaner burning and higher efficiency.
Under the Euro 7 regulations:
- The internal engine tolerances will be lowered and closer together
- The emission control systems will have greater sensitivity to all emissions
- Fuel quality will receive greater scrutiny for performance and compliance.
Extremely small amounts of deposits on an engine, or poorly refined fuels used in an engine will cause the engine to emit higher levels of emissions or operate at a lower level of efficiency.
Impact on Diesel Fuels
Diesel engine emissions will see major changes under Euro 7.
One of the major changes will be to increase the standards of diesel combustion to reduce the amount of particulate emissions. In order for diesel to meet these stricter emission standards, it now must burn fuel more efficiently to produce fewer emissions. This is where the importance of a diesel fuel additive will play an even larger role, as it will help improve combustion, reduce carbon deposits, and help achieve cleaner operation of the engine.
Another change is that with the use of high-pressure fuel systems, modern diesel engines have become incredibly sensitive to fuel quality. High-quality diesel fuel is imperative in order to keep injectors clean and functioning properly (prevent corrosion and create a proper fuel spray pattern). By utilizing a high-quality fuel additive, you will achieve more consistent performance, better fuel economy, and lower exhaust emissions.
According to a study conducted by the International Council on Clean Transportation in 2023, diesel fuel formulations and additives can reduce diesel particulate emissions from modern diesel engines by 20 percent when compared to conventional diesel formulations. Thus, it is safe to assume that the quality of diesel fuel will become increasingly important under stricter fuel emission regulations like Euro 7.
Impact on Petrol Engines
Gasoline engines are undergoing a lot of change with the implementation of turbocharging and direct injection. This makes them very efficient, but does create a greater risk of carbon buildup in the engine and issues with the injectors. As carbon builds up in an engine over time, engine performance will suffer and emissions will increase. A gasoline additive can help to clean the fuel injectors, reduce carbon buildup in intake manifold, and maintain the engine's performance.
Euro 7 will create a demand for manufacturers to develop better fuel economy and lower carbon emissions. Gasoline additives can help manufacturers meet these needs by improving the combustion of gasoline, reducing engine knock, and improving throttle response.
SAE International has conducted studies that show that using gasoline additives for deposit control in gasoline engines can improve fuel economy by 2 to 4 percent and considerably reduce engine deposits. This serves to highlight how important additives will be for meeting the future emissions standards.
Impact on Engine Oils and Lubricants
Euro 7 is going to affect the way fuel is used, but it will also change the way engine oils and other lubricants are developed. In order to increase efficiency, engine oil manufacturers will shift towards using low-viscosity engine oils. These types of oil will create less internal friction in an engine and can result in fuel savings and lower emissions.
In addition to producing new types of low viscosity engine oils, lubricant manufacturers will create new formulations for lubricants as well. The new formulations will contain less ash and be more thermally stable than prior formulations, so that they do not cause damage to emissions control systems such as diesel particulate filters and catalytic converters.
The combination of creating new low viscosity oils and removing ash from lubricants will allow for extended maintenance intervals and improved engine efficiency while being compliant with Euro 7 regulations.
The Growing Role of Fuel Additives
Fuel additives for petrol and diesel will increase in significance as emission regulations continue to tighten for use on roads.
Diesel fuel additives will:
- Clean injectors
- Minimize smoke and pollution
- Boost fuel savings.
Car petrol additives will:
- Prevent carbon deposits
- Provide faster acceleration
- Allow for smoother operation of the engine.
Diesel additives of high quality will:
- Protect from rust/corrosion
- Increase performance when cold starting
- Increase engine longevity.
These benefits will help to meet increasing and stricter emission requirements but also maximize performance.
The Future of Fuels and Lubricants
With the introduction of the Euro 7 standard for emissions, we can look forward to cleaner modes of transport through improved fuels with superior qualities, better lubricant formulations, and continued advancements in additives technology.
Over the next few years we can anticipate the following:
- Increased quality of gasoline and diesel fuel;
- More efficient engine lubricants;
- More use of additives;
- Continued growth in the production and use of hybrid/electric vehicles.
Through continued innovation, fuel and lubricant manufacturers must ensure that they are able to meet these requirements moving forward.
Final Words
With Euro 7 regulations rolling out in 2025, there will be some changes to how engines, fuels and lubricants interact. The new regulations will push all industries to produce cleaner, more efficient solutions than current products offer.
Drivers can expect their cars to perform better and will also need to have high quality fuel and additives in their vehicles. While using the correct diesel and petrol additive for car will improve performance, they will also help meet future emissions targets.
Getting on board with these changes early will be beneficial in protecting your engine’s long-term health and helping you avoid any additional repair expenses.