Most Jamaicans are overspending on fuel, according to a survey carried out by the state-run Petrojam Limited, which, on Sunday, March 24, launched the “Drive Smart: Fuel Your Vehicle Right” campaign aimed at empowering motorists to make informed choices at the pump, by fuelling their vehicles with the recommended gasolene grades.

Highlighting the significance of the campaign, Petrojam General Manager Telroy Morgan pointed out that though most gasolene vehicles in Jamaica are designed to run on 87 octane fuel, many motorists are opting for 90.

“A survey conducted by Petrojam in 2018 to assess the fuel preference among Jamaica’s registered vehicle owners revealed that approximately 70% of the gasoline market was consistently purchasing the incorrect fuel grade. Most drivers were opting for E10 90, the higher octane gasoline instead of the E10 87 grade that most of the vehicle population requires; and this practice continues” Morgan
explained.

The survey, which used the 2017 vehicle population figures from Tax Administration Jamaica, showed that of the total petrol vehicle population of 245,092, a total of 123,461 (approximately 50%) of the vehicle owner’s manuals of the top-ten car makes and models were recovered. Of this selection, 82 per cent of 123,461 vehicles required E1O 87 gasolene, with the remaining 18% requiring E10 90.

“The campaign promises to provide insights into why some manufacturers require or recommend higher-octane gasolene, which is often essential for engines with higher compression ratios or forced induction systems,” Morgan stated, noting that vehicles such as the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, and Honda Civic, for example are engineered to run on E10 87, while models such as the BMW X5 and Mercedes-
Benz C200 require E10 90 or higher.

The Petrojam general manager highlighted that motorists who choose to use the octane rating that is actually required by their vehicle manufacturer can reap significant cost savings.

“On average, the typical price gap between the retail prices of E10 87 and E10 90 ranges between J$8 and J$15 per litre. This means that some motorists are spending this more on every litre of E10 90 purchased,” Morgan said.

“A single vehicle consumer could be spending thousands more annually by using E10 90, rather than E10 87”.

This public education campaign is, therefore, designed to invert this practice by empowering motorists with the knowledge to make informed fuel purchasing decisions, while emphasising the potential cost savings.

The “Drive Smart: Fuel Your Vehicle Right” campaign forms part of Petrojam’s overall strategy of maximising consumer value while providing superior quality petroleum products to the market at competitive prices.

The one–year campaign will educate consumers on the significance of selecting the correct octane fuel for their vehicles, with a focus on achieving substantial cost savings for consumers, while maintaining optimal performance and fuel efficiency.

Octane rating is a measure of the performance or anti-knock properties of a fuel, typically used in internal combustion engines. It indicates how much compression the fuel can withstand before igniting spontaneously, which may cause knocking or pinging in the engine.