Global Implications of ILSAC GF-5

Will the global marketplace accept the new specification?

 

Who is on board?

When a new North American Passenger Car Engine Oil Specification becomes officially available it will appear in other parts of the world concurrently.  The new performance standards developed by the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) and certified by the American Petroleum Institute (API), are generally accepted by the rest of the world.

In Asia Pacific and Latin America motor oils follow the API performance level and as a result will eventually have ILSAC GF-5 oil in some of their markets. JAMA (Japanese Automotive Manufacturers Association), is part of ILSAC and has a vote in the development of the new specification.  When oils are officially licensed and in the market in the USA, oils of the same performance level are immediately in the market in Japan and simultaneously in Korea, Australia and Canada.

In Europe the ACEA (European Automobile Manufactures Association) specifications are primarily followed.

Global acceptance of API service categories is demonstrated by the number of licensees in various regions of the world as shown in this chart.

Data source: Directory of Licenses:API Engine Oil and Licensing Certification Comittee, API publication 1520