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No summer fuel for a start? Winter gasoline blocks the camps

2020-04-14T15:20:09.739Z


As of May, petrol stations are only allowed to sell summer fuel. But the winter fuel stores are still full. Waiting until they are empty could be risky.


As of May, petrol stations are only allowed to sell summer fuel. But the winter fuel stores are still full. Waiting until they are empty could be risky.

  • Europe's petrol stations are not getting rid of their winter fuels.
  • Because the demand for fuel * has collapsed in the wake of the Corona crisis, the stocks of the oil companies are not going to be empty in time for May 1st.
  • From then on, in most EU countries only summer fuel can actually be sold.

Too much winter petrol left: that's why it's bad for engines

The first EU member states are therefore already proposing a postponement of the changeover; in the United States, the switch to summer fuel has already been postponed to the end of May. The European automotive industry association ACEA fears that this could mean problems for drivers. Winter petrol, in particular, is bad for modern engines and exhaust systems at higher temperatures . Possible consequences include engine failures, starting problems and increased gasoline vapor emissions.

Fuels - for both petrol and diesel engines * - have a different composition in winter than in summer , so that the engines start and run optimally at the different outside temperatures. In winter, for example, the proportion of volatile substances in gasoline is higher so that the fuel remains sufficiently ignitable even at freezing temperatures. In contrast, the volatile content is reduced in summer so that no bubbles form in the fuel lines.

Also interesting : Do I use less fuel when the tank is not full?

Can the switch from winter to summer fuel be postponed?

The EU states stipulate certain periods for the changeover from winter to summer fuel : from mid-March, the petrol stations can already switch to summer fuel , and from 1 May this must be available at all petrol pumps. In some colder countries, June 1st is the deadline. Winter petrol is then sold again at the beginning of October, and from mid-November only winter goods can be sold.

The corona crisis is now confusing the season fuel timing . The decline in travel traffic is causing problems elsewhere too: for example, the stocks of aircraft kerosene are currently overfilled. According to the ACEA, the first countries are demanding that the fuel be mixed with diesel and delivered to the petrol stations in Europe. In this context, the association warns of possible damage to engines and exhaust gas cleaning systems in modern cars.

Also read : How long can diesel and petrol actually last?

Holger Holzer / SP-X

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* tz.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Source: merkur

All tech articles on 2020-04-14

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