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Shell V-Power®

Shell V-Power

Shell V-Power is the most advanced fuel that Shell has ever developed.

Overview

Shell V-Power is the most advanced fuel Shell has ever developed—a high-octane, nitrogen enriched premium gasoline that actively cleans while driving to help improve engine performance.

Shell has always played a leading role in the development of high quality fuels. For more than 100 years, we’ve been providing motorists with quality fuels and lubricants to meet the needs of their vehicles. Shell has an extensive research program dedicated to continuous product improvement, and when we find a way to make a fuel even better, that’s what we do. Shell V-Power is designed by utilizing years of international experience in developing fuels for today’s cars and drivers. The findings from decades of on-track testing with the Ferrari Formula One race team are built into every drop of Shell V-Power.  And now we have formulated Shell V-Power with the highest concentration of our Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system making it even better than before.

Shell V-Power is a premium gasoline designed for all vehicles – especially today’s complex, most advanced vehicles. Whether a premium vehicle owner, general auto enthusiast, tuner or motorcyclist, you know that performance counts. At Shell, we believe great performance begins with a clean engine.

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What Makes Shell V-Power Different?

Not all gasolines are created equal – the right kind of gasoline can make a difference in a vehicle.

Premium grade only references octane level, and doesn’t always equal premium quality. Shell V-Power contains the highest concentration of our Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system, a unique, patented improved formula exclusive to Shell. With five times the amount of cleaning agents required by federal government standards Shell V-Power provides maximum protection, seeking and destroying engine gunk left behind by lower-quality gasolines even faster than regular Shell gasoline.  Years of vehicle testing done by Shell have shown that the minimum required level of detergency does not prevent build-up of harmful deposits in some cars. Shell estimates that close to 50 percent of fuels sold in the U.S. are only at or near the minimum level of detergency required by law.

Shell V-Power meets the much more stringent requirements of top automakers – including Audi, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen – and is designated and certified as a TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. These manufacturers recognize that a clean engine performs better and recommend high-quality fuels to power their vehicles. 

Car manufacturers determine the octane level requirement for their vehicles based on design and recommend premium grade gasoline for a reason (check your owner’s manual). In fact, many automakers advocate high-octane gasoline for premium vehicles because it protects cars’ engines and helps ensure top performance and power as well as optimized fuel consumption and lower emissions.

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How Shell V-Power Works

Conventional Engine Diagram

Conventional Engine - Fuel injector is located in the intake area

Shell V-Power helps your engine function at its best and deliver the performance you desire.

To understand how Shell V-Power works, you need to understand how your vehicle works. Most vehicles today have a computer-monitored engine that operates in a four-part combustion cycle: intake of fuel and air, compression of the mixture, ignition and subsequent power, and finally, exhaustion of the combustion products. A vehicle’s engine needs to draw fuel and air in precise quantities to allow for proper combustion and engine operations under all driving conditions.

Engines “breathe” most efficiently when they have the right mix of air and gasoline to burn together. Gunky build-up can reduce an engine’s ability to breathe, and can be a result of using lower quality gasolines. With five times the amount of cleaning agents required by federal government standards, Shell V-Power gasoline can protect your engine and actively clean critical engine parts, such as intake valves and injectors. Shell V-Power cleans up engine gunk even faster than regular Shell gasoline, helping your vehicle maintain optimum performance.

Modern Direct Injection Engine Diagram

Modern Direct Injection Engine - Fuel injector is located in the combustion chamber

Today’s engines are evolving and one technology at the forefront is a direct injection gasoline engine.

With this system, the fuel injector moves directly into the combustion chamber subjecting the injector to greater heat and pressure.  This can result in a breakdown of the cleaning agents in today’s conventional additive formulations.  Nitrogen Enriched Shell V-Power is designed to maintain thermal stability under extremely hot engine temperatures found in today’s most advanced fuel-efficient engines.

Using lower quality premium grade gasolines can allow gunk to build up on critical parts of your engine, like intake valves and fuel injectors. This gunk can cause less efficient mixing of air and fuel and can result in incomplete combustion. Tests prove that Shell V-Power can remove gunky build-up left behind by lower quality gasolines and help your vehicle or motorcycle perform at its best.  Regular use of Shell V-Power helps to protect against new build up of gunk on those critical engine parts.

Shell V-Power is a high-octane fuel that is designed to help improve engine performance and efficiency, especially for vehicles that recommend or require a premium gasoline. An octane rating is a numerical measurement of the anti-knock properties of a motor fuel – knocking is the sound your engine may make when starting or accelerating, if using fuels with an insufficient octane level. If the recommended minimum octane level is not used, many vehicles go into “safe mode”, meaning they operate less optimal in order to protect the engine. This can negatively impact emissions quality, acceleration and fuel economy.

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Is Shell V-Power for Me?

Shell V-Power is the fuel for drivers who expect performance.

Shell V-Power is designed to help get the most from your vehicle. Sustained use removes the gunky build-up from your car’s intake valves and fuel injectors, making your engine cleaner while providing maximum protection from additional build-up. When driving a vehicle or motorcycle designed to run on premium grade gasoline, the high-octane Shell V-Power formula can help deliver optimum vehicle performance and efficiency as intended by the manufacturer.

If you care about your vehicle, try Shell V-Power gasoline and unlock the power of your engine.

Shell V-Power is the fuel for drivers who care about quality.

We go to great lengths to understand the needs of our customers. Over the years, our Shell V-Power additive technology has been tested in the lab, on road simulating dynamometers as well as on the road.  Our ongoing investment in research and development programs ensure you always get high-quality gasoline for your vehicle or motorcycle.

Shell V-Power is the fuel for drivers who care about their engines.

Shell V-Power can be used with confidence for all gasoline-powered vehicles or motorcycles. In addition to the added nitrogen enriched cleaning agents that provide maximum protection of intake valves and fuel injectors and it’s ability to seek and destroy engine gunk even faster clean than regular Shell gasoline, the high-octane level helps your engine maintain optimum engine performance.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Shell V-Power and how is it different than regular Shell gasoline?

Shell V-Power is the best, most advanced product ever to be part of our fuels portfolio. It contains the highest concentration of the Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system to provide maximum protection against performance-robbing gunk, while helping to seek and destroy engine gunk that lower-quality gasolines leave behind faster than regular Shell gasoline. Think about your oven – residue can build up and coat your oven with “gunk.” Like a powerful oven cleaner, Shell V-Power helps remove that gunky build-up and when used regularly helps protect against new build-up.  Shell V-Power has been successfully tested in today’s modern direct injection engines, proving that this new cleaning system performs under the toughest conditions found in these smaller engines.

The high-octane level helps protect the car’s engine and keeps your vehicle performing at its best. When the recommended minimum octane level is not used, many vehicles go into “safe mode”, meaning they operate less optimal in order to protect the engine. This can negatively impact emissions quality, acceleration and fuel economy.

What does the Shell Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system do and how will it help the performance of my vehicle?

The  Shell Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system uses a patented molecule, which cleans and protects critical engine parts even better than before. Enriching the molecule and the overall cleaning system with nitrogen makes it thermally more stable and therefore more effective in tough engine conditions with higher temperatures and increased pressures. This is particularly important in modern fuel-efficient engines. Shell V-Power contains the highest concentration of the Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system to provide maximum protection.

Why did Shell introduce Shell V-Power?

For over 100 years, we’ve been providing motorists with quality fuels and lubricants to meet the needs of their vehicles. Shell has an extensive research program dedicated to continuous product improvement, and when we find a way to make a fuel even better, that’s what we do. With Shell V-Power, we’ve made our premium grade gasoline with enhanced nitrogen enriched cleaning power for maximum protection against performance-robbing gunky build-up on critical engine parts.

How does gunk build-up in an engine?

Carbon deposit build-up on critical engine parts is the result of various chemical processes that occur in the engine during its operation. These processes can create a residue, which consists of carbon particles that may build up on intake valves and fuel injectors. Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines are designed to act as a barrier to help keep your engine clean and protect it from this performance-robbing gunk even better than before.

How soon does Shell V-Power begin to clean up engine gunk?

Shell V-Power can begin removing gunk from intake valves and fuel injectors with the first tank and when used regularly helps protect against new build-up.

Many manufacturers have said most customers don’t need high-octane gasolines. Do you agree?

We suggest that consumers follow the octane recommendation listed in their vehicle owner’s manual. However, the benefits of Shell V-Power, for example, go beyond high octane. With five times the minimum amount of cleaning agents required by federal government standards, Shell V-Power provides maximum protection, seeking and destroying engine gunk even faster than regular Shell gasoline, helping your vehicle maintain optimum engine performance.

Does a vehicle benefit from increased octane?

Different vehicles require different levels of octane. To determine the appropriate octane level for your vehicle, check your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendation. However, it’s important to note that not all premium gasolines are the same. Just like using lower quality regular gasoline can lead to gunky build-up, using lower quality premium gasolines can have the same impact on your engine. Using a high-quality premium gasoline can provide benefits that go beyond octane. For example, Shell V-Power is our best gasoline containing the highest concentration of our Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system designed to provide maximum protection, seeking and destroying engine gunk that can be left behind by lower quality gasolines. 

What is the octane rating of Shell V-Power?

Octane ratings for premium gasoline vary across the country. The octane level of Shell V-Power is anywhere from 91 to 93 octane, depending on the region. The octane rating tells you its anti-knock abilities – or how it will prevent engine knocking. It’s important to point out; however, that octane is not the only factor to consider when choosing a fuel. Many cars that don’t require higher octane can benefit from the cleaning power provided by Shell V-Power, which contains five times the minimum government requirement for detergents to actively clean for better performance and remove the gunk on intake valves and fuel injectors left behind by low-quality gasolines.

Is Shell V-Power suitable for motorbikes or snowmobiles?

Yes, Shell V-Power is suited for all gasoline-powered engines. However, we recommend that customers check the owner’s manuals of those engines and use the recommended octane grade.
 
What is the link between Shell and Ferrari Formula One racing team?

Shell began its technical partnership with Enzo Ferrari in the 1930s, and in 1947, the first Ferrari drove out of the factory gates in Maranello, Italy, powered by Shell.  Every time you see the red Ferrari race car making its way around the circuit, it is powered by fuel specially developed, manufactured and supplied by Shell.

As Ferrari’s technology consultant, we have developed expertise and knowledge in matching the correct fuel to every new engine design and technical development made by Ferrari. This ability is well recognized as being an essential element of their winning team. In fact, the Shell scientists who work with the Ferrari engineers at the track are the same people who are driving developments for Shell road fuels. The Ferrari relationship reiterates our commitment and passion to bringing technologically advanced fuels to our customers.  Additionally, over the past two years a dedicated team of Shell engineers has worked closely with the Ferrari Gran Turismo (GT) road car department to implement the advanced Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) fuel system into the Ferrari California and 458 Italia models. The information from the testing with Ferrari is used in the continuing development of Shell V-Power fuel for cars on the road.

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