Fuel composition and properties can influence both exhaust and evaporative emissions, affecting the air quality in our cities.
Different fuel properties influence different types of vehicle emissions.
Each acts on a different part of the problem — how completely the fuel burns, how much of it evaporates, and what it leaves behind.
Supports efficient combustion and engine performance.
Helps reduce evaporative emissions.
Reduces the potential for particulate formation.
Supports cleaner combustion and can reduce certain emissions.
Particulate emissions are influenced by overall composition of gasoline, not simply the presence of individual blending components.
Research has examined how aromatic content, oxygenation and fuel sensitivity (the difference between Research Octane Number and Motor Octane Number, or RON-MON) influence engine performance and particulate emissions.
These factors should be considered together when assessing fuel formulations and their potential impact on air quality.
Research spotlight
The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has examined the relationship between oxygenated fuel components, gasoline properties, engine performance and particulate emissions.
The study considers aromatic content and fuel sensitivity (RON-MON), highlighting the importance of evaluating gasoline formulations as a whole.
Source: SAE International, Impact of Oxygenated Fuel Components on Engine Performance and Particulate Emissions in Gasoline Blends, April 2025.
Fuel modelling can help assess how changes in gasoline formulation may affect vehicle emissions under different local conditions.
Up to 41%
lower PM2.5
ACFA’s Indonesia-MOVES study found that ether-oxygenated gasoline blends delivered the largest emissions reductions among the fuels modelled, including up to 41% lower PM2.5 and 7% lower VOC emissions compared with Pertalite R90.
