News: Euro 5 Diesel is now in Malaysia

BHPetrol is the first petroleum retailer in Malaysia to supply EURO 5 specification diesel in Malaysia. Report by Arvind Kumar.

In a momentous launch gambit at the BHPetrol Pagoh South fuelling station, Euro 5 specification diesel is finally in Malaysia. Well in the state of Johor for now at least. Priced at RM2.30/litre, the new Infiniti Euro 5 diesel carries a RM0.10 premium over the Euro 2M Diesel fuels that Malaysians have been using since Sept 2009.

But why only in Johor? This is on the back of the Singapore government imposing tighter regulations since 1st July 2014, limiting cars and lorries that enter the island republic to emit no more than 40 Hartridge Smoke Units (HSU). Failure to comply will ensure stiff penalties in the form of fines to owners of smoggy and sooty trucks and cars.

Hence, the government has allocated a finite amount of import permits (AP) to three petroleum retailers to allow adequate provisions for logistics providers, shippers and fellow holiday-makers to enjoy cleaner Diesel fuels and improved efficiencies. BHPetrol have been sublime in being quick-to-market with their brand of Infiniti Euro 5 diesel fuel. But what are the differences exactly?

Well, that would involve a large amount of text, (trust me, I have read it) so here’s a simple table highlighting the important differences.

	Sulphur Content	NO. Content	PM Levels	Cetane Number
EURO 2M	500ppm	730mg/km	100mg/km	49min
EURO 5	10ppm	180mg/km	5mg/km	51min

Note:

NOₓ - Nitrous Oxides (Poisonous)

PM - Particulate Matter (Also visible as the black soot Diesel engines infamously known for.)

Sulphur creates the (PM) which is hazardous to humans and the environment. (The equivalent of Lead being used in gasoline prior to unleaded fuels.)

When good Euro 5 fuels are used in tandem with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), up to 95% of PM generated by the engine can be captured. And those with Euro 5 compliant trucks and cars can expect maximum gains and full tank mileages that may easily exceed 1000km if driven correctly. However, if an engine is only Euro 2 compliant, such gains may not be realized just by using BHPetrol’s Euro 5 diesel fuel. So it’s a combination of the right fuel going into the right engine and gases exhausted through a tip-top DPF that creates maximum power, efficiency and clean oil burning.

There are four BHPetrol stations (BHPetrol Pagoh South, BHPetrol Pagoh North, BHPetrol Tebrau 2 and BHPetrol Pasir Gudang 3), adapted and ready for Euro 5 fuelling. And a further seven BHPetrol stations slated to begin retailing Euro 5 in the state of Johor within the next two weeks.

When asked on when oil-burner lovers in other states can expect Euro 5, Mr. KT Tan commented that there are few regulatory requirements and subsidy rationalisations that have to be ironed out before the AP quotas in other states can be utilized. But assured government agencies and BHPetrol have a shared enthusiasm for introducing Euro 5 in other states in the coming months.

So rejoice Diesel-lovers, Euro 5 Diesel is finally here and it’s about time!