‘V-Power’ fuel debuts in NMI
Shell stations in the CNMI this month have begun carrying a brand of fuel capable of removing the build up other gasolines leave behind in car engines, boosting vehicles’ performance and fuel efficiency.
In an interview Tuesday, Shell fuels technology manager Eric Holthusen said Shell’s new V-Power fuel contains five times the number of cleansing agents required under federal standards, a formula that can improve how vehicle engines respond and reduce emissions. Until this month, he added, Shell stations have never before sold V-power in the CNMI.
“So far, there was no fuel in this market that can clean off the deposits left by other fuels,” said Holthusen, adding those deposits can severely impair an engine.
Designed by the same team behind the fuels used by racers for Ducati and Ferrari, V-power is already available in other markets.
According to Holthusen, gasoline often leaves deposits on a car’s valves that can absorb fuel before it reaches the engine. Yet V-power’s cleansing agents are able to remove that buildup, a change that “brings back the performance” the vehicle once had.
“The side-effect of this, of course, is that you reduce emissions and that if you don’t use the extra performance you get, you still burn less fuel,” said Holthusen.
Moreover, V-power and all of Shell products go through a rigorous evaluation by its “product stewardship” group to ensure that the additives are safe for the environment.
The price of Shell V-power gasoline at local service stations now stands at $4.20 per gallon for self-service.
