New Working Group to consider standards for New Energy Vehicle (NEV) fluids.
Fuels and Lubes report that the American Petroleum Institute (API) is set to form this new group in a move to create industry standards for these rapidly rising technologies. It is an opportunity for standardisation for driveline fluids, battery coolants, dielectric fluids, and other special greases, according to Jeffrey Harmening, manager of API’s Engine Oil Licensing Certification System (EOLCS).
Driveline fluids are typically OEM specific but the NEV equivalents are a-typical, so setting industry standards for them will be challenging. API is looking for a framework that would allow these groups to take part in a single process to generate standards when the need arises. “If there is an opportunity for standardisation, the platform gives us a way to work with OEMs to develop minimum standards,” says Harmening.
With an initial membership of all API Lubricants Group members in the new Working Group, it will be necessary to involve other OEMs who have the specialist expertise not available within API. The initial intention is to establish a standards development process and licensing program recommendations.