Mercedes Mullins
With the number of cars on the road increasing, the debate about the best type of car fuel has never been more relevant. The most common types of car fuel are petrol, diesel, and premium fuel. Electric vehicles are also growing in popularity, but they are not yet widely available. Hybrid vehicles, which combine fossil fuels with electricity, are also becoming more popular. The type of fuel that is best for a car depends on the car's engine and its performance requirements. Unleaded petrol, for example, is the most common fuel for cars in the UK and Australia, but it may not be suitable for high-performance cars that require higher octane ratings.
Which car fuel is best?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Petrol | The most common fuel for cars in the UK, with over 18.5 million licensed petrol cars. Unleaded petrol is more eco-friendly than leaded petrol as it's mixed with bioethanol. |
| Diesel | The second most popular type of fuel in the UK, with over 16 million diesel cars on the road in 2018. |
| Hybrid | Powered by two types of energy (either petrol or diesel and electric). They are growing in popularity as they are cleaner than fossil fuel vehicles and more powerful than most electric transportation. |
| Electric | Electric vehicles are growing in popularity as they are the greenest type of vehicle. |
| Premium fuel | The best high-octane petrol. Shell V-Power petrol is one of the most popular types of premium fuel and is available at Shell fuel stations across the UK. |
| BP Ultimate | One of the best fuels to maximise the performance of your vehicle as its formula is designed to remove harmful deposits in your engine. |
| TOP TIER gasoline | The highest quality gasoline with superior additives that prevent carbon deposits and enhance engine performance. |
| Octane rating | The higher the octane rating, the more resistant the fuel is to pinging in your engine. |
| LPG | Liquefied Petroleum Gas is made of butane and propane. It is available at most UK fuel stations and is cheaper than petrol and diesel, but cars need to be converted to run on it. |
| E10 | A fuel blend made up of 10% ethanol and 90% unleaded petrol. It is often the cheapest fuel available and offers better performance than traditional unleaded petrol, but can be at the expense of fuel economy. |
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Premium vs regular fuel
The type of fuel you should use depends on the type of vehicle you are driving. Different engines require different types of fuel, and using the wrong type can lead to engine damage.
The main difference between premium and regular fuel is their octane rating. The octane rating is an index of a fuel's heat resistance, which means the fuel's ability to resist premature burning, which can cause your engine to 'knock'. The higher the octane rating, the greater the resistance to knock, or the early combustion of the fuel-air mixture that causes cylinder pressure to spike.
Performance cars with high-end engines may require the more advanced formula of premium gasoline to maximize their horsepower and torque. However, if you drive an everyday sedan or SUV, premium gasoline might be unnecessary. There may be no difference in performance at all between premium and regular gasoline, since these cars were built to run effectively on unleaded. If your manufacturer recommends regular, you might as well save yourself some money at the pump.
Some vehicles will run happily on either regular or premium fuel. For example, Honda CR-Vs are built to run on 87 octane and the manufacturer makes no claims that raising the octane will improve performance. However, BMW M5s require a minimum of 91-octane fuel, with 93 recommended.
In addition to octane ratings, some retailers may add other ingredients to their fuels as a marketing tool. For example, Shell offers fuel with added nitrogen. However, there is no data to support that these additives have any effect on engine performance.
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Electric vehicles
The environmental benefits of electric vehicles are significant. They improve fuel economy, lower fuel costs, and reduce emissions. Using electricity as a power source for transportation improves public health and the environment, and provides safety benefits, contributing to a resilient transportation system. The transition to electric vehicles will help to reduce climate pollution, with electric vehicles already cutting climate pollution by about two-thirds over a car's life span in the United States. As a larger percentage of electricity is produced by clean energy, the emissions reductions from electric vehicles will only increase.
There are also economic benefits to the rise of electric vehicles. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of EV jobs grew by 26.2% in the United States, and a quarter of all announced global EV investments through 2030 are headed for the United States. The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act have provided a combined $245 billion in federal EV investment, expected to spur domestic production of EVs and their batteries, as well as the construction of the nation's charging network. This will create tens of thousands of new jobs.
There are several types of electric vehicles available, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, extended-range electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles. When choosing an electric vehicle, it is important to consider factors such as driving range per battery charge, miles per gallon equivalents, battery life, and price. Electric vehicles do not require fuel and have lower maintenance costs due to their efficient electric motors, which have fewer parts that can be damaged.
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Diesel
However, diesel engines tend to cost several thousand dollars more upfront. While diesel engines require less frequent maintenance, they tend to cost more to repair. Diesel engines are also better suited for highway driving, as short-distance, low-speed city driving can clog the engine's particulate filter.
One example of a premium diesel fuel is Shell V-Power diesel. BP Ultimate diesel is another option that helps to clean the dirt from your engine, resulting in smoother performance and higher fuel efficiency.
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Hybrid vehicles
There are different types of hybrid vehicles, including mild hybrids, full hybrids, and plug-in hybrids, each with varying degrees of electric motor involvement. For instance, in certain conditions, such as low-speed city driving, the electric motor can drive the car independently. This makes hybrids particularly fuel-efficient in urban areas with heavy traffic.
While hybrid vehicles offer environmental and financial benefits, there are also some potential drawbacks. Firstly, they tend to have higher upfront costs. For example, the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid costs approximately $2,320-$3,400 more than its non-hybrid counterpart. Additionally, the complexity of the hybrid system may increase repair costs during ownership. However, it's important to note that hybrids are among the most reliable vehicles, and many components, including the battery and electric motor, often come with extended warranties.
Another factor to consider is that insurance for hybrid vehicles may be more expensive, especially in urban areas where they are more prevalent due to their fuel efficiency in city driving. Despite these potential disadvantages, hybrid vehicles offer a range of significant advantages that make them an attractive option for many drivers. Governments also provide tax incentives and rebates for hybrid car owners, making them even more financially appealing.
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Octane ratings
The octane rating of a fuel is a measure of its heat resistance and stability, or its ability to prevent 'knocking'. Knocking occurs when the air-fuel mixture combusts spontaneously, before the spark plug can ignite it. This can cause damage to the engine and the emissions control system. The higher the octane rating, the more stable the fuel, and the more resistant it is to premature burning.
Fuels with higher octane ratings can allow engines to run at higher compression levels, creating more power. This is why performance vehicles generally run on premium or higher-octane fuels. However, higher-octane fuels are designed to work with specific types of engines, so using a higher-octane fuel than is recommended by the manufacturer is unlikely to improve performance and will be more expensive.
In recent years, car manufacturers have been recommending premium gasoline (a high-octane grade of fuel) for more of their vehicle models. However, it is important to check the owner's manual or the inside of the fuel cap to ensure that the right fuel is being used, as using the wrong type of petrol can cause engine damage.
Different countries have different standards for octane ratings. For example, in the US, retail gasoline stations sell three main grades of gasoline based on octane level, whereas in Saudi Arabia, there are two types of fuel available at all petrol stations: "Premium 91" (RON 91) and "Super Premium 95" (RON 95).
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Frequently asked questions
The best fuel for your car depends on the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation. The manufacturer's recommendation can usually be found in the owner's manual or on the inside of the fuel cap. Using the wrong fuel can affect performance and cause long-term damage.
TOP TIER gasoline is the highest quality gasoline available. TOP TIER gasoline has superior additives that prevent carbon deposits and enhance engine performance.
The difference between each fuel type is their 'octane rating', or the numbers that identify them, such as 91, 95 or 98. The octane rating is an index of a fuel's heat resistance, which means the fuel's ability to resist premature burning, which can cause your engine to 'knock'.
E10 is a fuel blend made up of 10% ethanol and 90% unleaded petrol. This is often the cheapest fuel available and offers slightly better performance than traditional unleaded petrol. However, it is generally not as fuel-efficient as regular unleaded, as your car's petrol consumption may increase.
