Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy motor oil offers advanced engine protection and fuel savings

This article originally appeared in the Lamp, 2008 — Number 1

While 0W viscosity Mobil 1 engine oils were introduced a decade ago, they have always maintained a low profile — until now. Mobil 1 0W-20 and 0W-30 Advanced Fuel Economy oils are about to step into the spotlight.

Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy oils are low-viscosity, synthetic engine oils that perform a remarkable feat: While they provide the same engine protection as higher-viscosity oils, their low viscosity improves engine efficiency. A more efficient engine saves fuel and benefits the environment by reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. The ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties (L&S) marketing team is getting this message out to consumers.

“Our marketing effort is about repositioning these products, which have been part of our Mobil 1 lineup for 10 years,” says Jeff Jones, an L&S specialties product commercialization advisor. “We’re communicating the benefit of improved fuel mileage, as compared to higher-viscosity oils, along with the superior protection and engine performance.”

Before Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy, ExxonMobil’s first 0W product was introduced in 1998 as Mobil 1 0W-30 (0W refers to the oil’s viscosity at extremely cold temperatures; 30 is the viscosity at the operating temperature of a running engine).

Mobil 1 0W-20 came along in 2002, and over the years both products had limited distribution.

Revealing research

But in 2007, market research revealed a way to increase consumer interest by broadening the appeal of these products to a wider range of consumers.

The studies showed that more than 80 percent of U.S. drivers want products that will improve their gas mileage. When choosing motor oil, “improving fuel economy” is the fourth most important consumer benefit.

Because of the growing demand for improved fuel economy, these lesser-known 0W viscosity products are forecast to become mainstream products over the next decade. As a result, the L&S team decided to reposition the 0W products to fill this need.

Car manufacturers are an important element of the strategy. They face great pressure to improve their vehicles’ fuel efficiency to meet car buyers’ demands and government fuel-economy mandates.

“The trend toward 0W-20 and 0W-30 motor oils has been led by the car builders,” says Jones. “We’re aligned with them from the point a new engine is first filled with oil at the factory to when it’s serviced at the dealership.”

Top manufacturers such as Toyota fill most of their 2008 cars with 0W-20-grade motor oil at the factory, with other car builders anticipated to follow shortly.

A change to synthetics

Changing to 0W-20 or 0W-30-grade motor oil means changing to a synthetic product, since 0W oils generally require fully synthetic formulations.

Synthetics are an important part of ExxonMobil’s offerings, but they represent only 8 percent of total motor-oil sales in this country. The marketing team is working to increase distribution of synthetic Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy products.

“We’ve been working to achieve nationwide distribution so U.S. consumers can buy this product locally,” says Shonodeep Modak, retail marketing advisor, “and we’ve reached that goal. Since March, Wal-Mart has offered Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0W-20 and 0W-30 in 3,400 stores. The product will also be carried at Advance Auto Parts, Auto Zone, CSK Auto, Checker, Schucks, Kragen and Pep Boys. In all, it will be in about 12,000 stores
by the end of 2008.”

Environmental and consumer benefits

Consumers who use Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy can realize a potential 2 percent improvement in fuel economy, which can translate to more than $400 in savings during the life of a typical vehicle, based on a comparison with those grades most commonly used. Actual savings depend upon vehicle/engine type, outside temperature, driving conditions and your current engine-oil viscosity.

Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy motor oils can benefit the environment as well. Greater fuel economy means less fuel used, which means fewer vehicle emissions.

If only one-third of U.S. motorists reduced their gasoline consumption by 2 percent, almost 1 billion gallons of gasoline and 8 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions would be saved every year. This is the equivalent of taking about 1.5 million cars off the road.

Jones sums it up: “Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy oil is synthetic technology designed to help consumers improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, which are benefits that are very important for today’s world.”