Introduction of ACEA 2021

The Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles (ACEA) represents the interests of 15 major manufacturers of cars, vans, trucks and buses in Europe. Since the 1990s, it also develops and publishes engine oil specifcations for European vehicles. These so-called ACEA sequences are divided into the following categories:

Ax/Bx sequence  -  Engine Oils for Gasoline and Diesel vehicles without particle filters (High-SAPS)
Cx sequence  -  Engine Oils for Gasoline and Diesel vehicles with particle filters (Mid/Low-SAPS)
Ex sequence  -  Engine Oils for Heavy Duty engines

ACEA has now published a new version of the ACEA Ax/Bx and Cx sequences on 30.04 in order to address the increasing requirements for engine oils for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.

With this update, for the first time the categories for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (Ax/Bx and Cx) have been revised independently from those for heavy commercial vehicles (Ex). This splitting allows ACEA to react more freely and directly to changes and requirements regarding the hardware and from the market and to reflect these accordingly in the sequences. The update for the ACEA Ex sequences is not expected before June 2021.

In order to meet the growing demands, especially with regard to Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI), wear protection and turbocharger cleanliness, two new categories have been introduced:

ACEA A7/B7  -  High-SAPS engine oil for vehicles without particle filter
ACEA C6  -  Low-SAPS engine oil for vehicles with particle filter

At the same time, the A3/B3 and C1 categories were discontinued in order to limit the number of active categories in the market and to focus on technologies that reflect the requirements of the current vehicle fleet.

ACEA Ax/Bx sequence

The first new category ACEA A7/B7 defines low viscosity engine oils with a HTHS viscosity of 2.9 - 3.5 mPa·s. Compared to the ACEA A5/B5 category, these engine oils offer adequate protection against LSPI even at low speeds and high pressures. In addition, engine oils in this category offer wear protection for turbocharged gasoline DI engines as well as protection against deposits on the turbocharger compressor (TCCD) for modern DI diesel engines.

ACEA Cx sequence

Oils in the ACEA C6 category have a reduced sulphated ash, phosphorus, sulphur (SAPS) content for compatibility with exhaust aftertreatment systems and a reduced HTHS viscosity of at least 2.6 and less than 2.9 mPa·s for optimised fuel economy potential. Compared to the ACEA C5 category, ACEA C6 oils also offer protection against LSPI, wear protection for turbocharged gasoline DI engines and protection against turbocharger compressor deposits (TCCD) for modern DI diesel engines.

With the introduction of the updated ACEA sequences, several new tests were introduced to reflect the current requirements for engine oils in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. New wear tests (Sequence IVB and Sequence X), a fuel economy test (JASO FE M366), a turbocharger test (CEC L-114-19) and an LSPI test (Sequence IX) were included in the new sequences.

At the same time, the two tests OM646LA and OM646LA Bio were deleted from the sequences due to the lack of availability of the components.

We at FUCHS will now continue to qualify our products according to the new ACEA 2021 requirements, so that you can always count on correctly labelled and qualified products. With our TITAN GT1 FLEX 5 SAE 0W-20 we have taken the first step and already qualified this product according to the new requirements of ACEA C5 and ACEA C6.

Your FUCHS Team Product Management Automotive