Renault launches a range of eco-friendly engine oils

French President Emmanuel Macron stands by a new electric Renault R5 E-Tech at the Paris Motor Show – Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File STEPHEN BRASHEAR

Renault Group has become the first automotive manufacturer to introduce a complete range of premium engine oils with lower carbon footprints. Automotive lubricants are produced and used in considerable volumes. The oils are formulated into engine oils, transmission fluids, and other automotive lubricants, providing necessary vehicle performance. Conventional oils, however, are produced through environmentally damaging processes.

Renault has introduced the range in collaboration with Castrol. These are engine oils made with Re-Refined Base Oils (RRBO). Renault has developed the oils to ensure high performance, engine protection, and the preservation of the manufacturer’s warranty.

Re-refined base oils are high-quality lubricants produced from used oils, offering significant environmental benefits and contributing to a circular economy in the lubricant industry.

Environmental impact

In terms of the environmental impact, the use of RRBO is estimated to be able to reduce the carbon footprint by 15% for the RN17 Oil specification, marking a step forward in lowering CO₂ production emissions into a more circular automotive industry.

The reason why the environmental impact is low is because the process of re-refining used oil significantly reduces waste and prevents environmental contamination. It conserves resources by allowing the same oil to be reused multiple times, leading to lower carbon emissions—up to 80% less compared to virgin oil production.

To derive at this assessment, cradle-to-gate lifecycle carbon intensity comparisons were conducted by Castrol, in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting & Reporting Standard.

In addition, the re-refining process is generally more energy-efficient than producing new base oils from crude oil, saving energy and reducing the overall carbon footprint.

The development helps to enable used oil recycling, reduces waste, uses less crude oil, and helps lower Scope 3 emissions.

Scope 3 emissions & the circular economy

The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard classifies a company’s GHG emissions into three ‘scopes’. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy. Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions (not included in scope 2) that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions.

The standard covers the accounting and reporting of seven greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol – carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).

Renault roll-out

Starting with the RN17 (5W-30) product which covers over 50% of Renault Group’s vehicles in Europe, this new oil formulation will be extended to formulations for all models by 2026.

Combined with RN700 and RN710 already launched and to be followed by RN720 and AN2022 in 2026, Renault Group will then be able to offer a full range of premium engine oils for all its models, formulated to include RRBO.

Commenting on the roll-out, François Delion, Vice President Global After-Sales at Renault Group says: “This launch makes Renault Group the first OEM to provide its entire recent vehicle range with next-generation lubricants formulated with re-refined base oil…It’s a true demonstration that sustainability can go hand-in-hand with uncompromising performance and quality, over the complete lifecycle of the vehicle.”