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It is expected that the world's energy demand will double by 2050, which requires energy-efficient technologies to be readily available. With the increasing number of vehicles on our roads the demand for energy is increasing rapidly, and with this there is an associated increase in CO₂ emissions. Through the careful use of optimized lubricants it is possible to significantly reduce vehicle fuel consumption and hence CO₂. This paper evaluates the effects on fuel economy of high quality, low viscosity heavy-duty diesel engine type lubricants against mainstream type products for all elements of the vehicle driveline. Testing was performed on Shell's driveline test facility for the evaluation of fuel consumption effects due to engine, gearbox and axle oils and the variation with engine operating conditions.

It has been recognised for many years that specially formulated gasoline engine lubricants are able to improve vehicle fuel economy [FE] by a small but significant amount. Until recently these benefits have been evaluated using unaged oils, but increased interest in fuel economy resulting from the Kyoto Protocol and the continued use of the US Corporate Average Fuel Economy [CAFE] system have encouraged researchers to explore whether analogous effects are obtained in diesel engines and whether these benefits can be sustained as the oil is aged in normal service. In this paper a test development completed within the restructured Coordinating European Council [CEC] [ref 1] using a Ford Duratorq 2.0litre diesel is described. It was found that fresh oil fuel economy performance improved when oils with reduced high temperature high shear [HTHS] viscosities were used and that performance was insensitive to friction modification.