• 10/24/2017

LIQUI MOLY turns towards alternative drives

A special additive for hybrid vehicles and a pictogram for identifying motor oils
October 2017 – The number of registered vehicles with alternative drives is still minimal compared to those with diesel and gasoline motors, but the new drive types are revolutionizing the car industry. LIQUI MOLY is also intensively dealing with this topic and is launching an innovation on the market: The Hybrid Additive, a fuel additive specially developed for hybrid vehicles. Furthermore, motor oils suitable for these motors are identified with a pictogram.
Strictly speaking, the Hybrid Additive is itself a hybrid, because it combines two properties. It stabilizes the fuel quality and it cleans the injection system. In hybrid vehicles, the electric motor is the main drive; the combustion motor works only as an assistant. It is mostly only used for short periods. "This results in two problems," says David Kaiser. He heads the Research & Development department at car chemicals specialist LIQUI MOLY.

"The fuel remains in the tank for longer and ages more," says David Kaiser, compared to vehicles powered exclusively by a diesel or gasoline motor. An additional problem: Deposits in the injection tract because of the irregular short-term use. The newly developed Hybrid Additive keeps the gasoline quality stable, protects against deposits in the injection system and removes existing deposits. "It therefore solves both problems," says the LIQUI MOLY expert.

With this innovation the company underlines its development expertise in an industry undergoing major changes. The car industry will change more in the coming ten years than it has in the past 100. The cause for this are various megatrends, one of which is electromobility. "Alongside quality, to us, made in Germany also predominantly means change by innovation. That's why research has always been one of the supporting pillars of our success," says David Kaiser.

The company has been dealing with combustion motors since its formation 60 years ago. Considering this expertise it was obvious that electrohybrid in alternative drives had to be concentrated on next. Based on the global registration figures, hybrid vehicles are the most common of alternative drives. According to Statista and IHS Autoinsight the gap between them and purely electric vehicles will significantly increase by 2025. "We are backing the right horse," says the R&D head of LIQUI MOLY. "Because diesel motors only play a subordinate role for hybrids with a downward trend, we are launching a purely gasoline additive onto the market."

There is also a change in lubricants, although purely an aesthetic one: The labels of the 1 and 5-liter canisters will have a hybrid pictogram added to them. This will allow car drivers and mechanics working in garages to see at a glance whether the motor oil is suitable for hybrid vehicles. Those who want to be sure can make use of the online oil guide by LIQUI MOLY.