Dec. 5, 2019—Valvoline announced that it will release a full synthetic oil for hybrid engines. Expected to launch in 2020, the company says that the oil will come in 5W-30 and 0W-20 grades and will be ready to use in the estimated 5 million hybrids on the road today.
Valvoline hopes to catch a growing segment of car owners. In a press release, Valvoline cited the Toyota Motor North America November 2019 sales report and said that overall hybrid sales increased 65.4 percent since November 2018. Additionally, Toyota division hybrid sales are up 68.4 percent for the same time period, the release said.
The hybrid market is expected to grow more in the near future.
This announcement comes shortly after the brand's recent launch of a product line specifically for electric vehicles. Other brands have also announced new oils that are marketed more toward specific vehicle types of driving styles, marking a change from the traditional marketing of SAE grade, quality tier and synthetic or conventional formulation.
Valvoline says that its product keeps certain conditions in mind for hybrid engines. These include a hybrid engine's constant engine start and stop, which can prevent warm up and peak performance, the release says. Low engine operating temperatures can create excess water vapor that dissolves into the oil resulting in sludge, corrosion and motor oil breakdown that can negatively impact fuel economy and engine life.
"Valvoline's pursuit of new solutions to new problems challenges our unique in-house Valvoline Engine Lab to create flexible formulas that are proven to extend engine life," said Fran Lockwood, Valvoline chief technology officer. "Valvoline Hybrid Vehicle Full Synthetic motor oil contains a special blend of additives and superior antioxidants to provide the ultimate protection for hybrid engines."
