Shell Helix Ultra: Unleashing More Power with the New 2025 API SQ Standard¹
Abu Dhabi - Shell Helix Ultra is now API SQ ready - marking a milestone in technology leadership and raising the bar further in engine power, and protection.²
Shell Helix Ultra, the premium motor oil trusted by drivers worldwide, is unlocking even more power for modern engines1. As one of the first oils to meet the advanced 2025 API SQ Standard, Shell Helix Ultra is designed to deliver the ultimate performance and protection which today’s high-performance engines need to stay powerful, and responsive, for longer3.
Shell Helix Ultra’s newest products are designed to deliver 100% engine power retention after driving with full power for longer1. They also better protect against common engine challenges caused by Low-Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI) and the increased pressure and temperatures4, especially in high-performance engines with Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection (TGDI) technology. With Shell Helix Ultra, drivers can enjoy a more powerful drive, even under the extreme demanding conditions5.
Thanks to Shell’s exclusive PurePlus Technology, which creates a 99.5% pure base oil from natural gas6, Shell Helix Ultra unleashes more power from the engine for longer1, with up to a 1.8% increase in engine power1, up to 3.4% improved responsiveness1, and up to 4% better fuel efficiency7. Shell celebrated this milestone by hosting 100 of its global business partners from the Shell Helix Champions Club at the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix. The event gave our collaborators a firsthand look at Shell’s commitment to driving-innovation in motor oil.
Jason Wong, Global Executive Vice President of Shell Lubricants, shared, “Shell Helix Ultra is the #1 brand in the passenger car lubricants market globally8. Now, we’re raising the bar further with our new products ready to meet the 2025 API SQ Standard. This milestone demonstrates our commitment to innovation and technology leadership, helping drivers unleash more power from their engines1 and achieve better fuel efficiency7.”
Starting March 31, 2025, drivers around the world will be able to experience the ultimate power of the new Shell Helix Ultra, designed to meet or exceed the industry’s latest standards9 as the products open for global sales.
Since the 1950s, Shell is the premium partner with Ferrari to drive innovation and excellence, Shell Helix Ultra is Ferrari’s oil of choice, on and off the track. Every Ferrari engine produced in Maranello, Italy, is filled with Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology. This collaboration between Shell scientists and Ferrari’s elite racing team engineers continues to push the boundaries, ensuring drivers receive the ultimate performance in engine protection and power.
Notes to Editors
What is API SQ?
The API SQ Standard is designed to meet the demanding needs of modern engines, and particularly those with Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection (TGDI) technology. Compared with current API SP standards, API SQ will help to ensure that oils sustainably control Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI), provide extra wear protection, improve high temperature resistance and low temperature fluidity, and including additional tests for the aged oils, which help to ensures that engines are better protected in the longer term. Shell can confirm that Shell Helix Ultra already meets the engine tests requirement against the API SQ standard across different viscosity grades9.
References
1. According to the series powertrain tests results run by an independent 3rd party in 2024 using Shell Helix Ultra ECT 0W-30.
2. Based on the powertrain test results run by an independent 3rd party in 2024 using Shell Helix Ultra ECT 0W-30, and the API Seq. IVB engine test results compared with API SQ requirement.
3. Based on the powertrain test results run by an independent 3rd party in 2024 using Shell Helix Ultra ECT 0W-30, and the API Seq. IIIH engine test results compared with API SQ requirement.
4. Based on the API Seq. IX engine test results compared with API SQ requirement.
5. Based on 200,000km field trials results run by an independent third party from 2020 to 2023 using Shell Helix Ultra 0W products.
6. Based on paraffinic hydrocarbon content and significantly higher level of iso-paraffins compared to typical Group II and III base oils.
7. Based on API Sequence VIE engine test results compared with the industry reference oil using Shell Helix Ultra ECT C6 0W-20.
8. According to the Brand Volume Share 2021-2024 in GfK Retail Audit Database in Shell Insights Hub. Countries included: China, Indonesia, Thailand, Egypt.
9. Based on the API SQ engine tests results compared with API SQ requirement using Shell Helix Ultra products.
Enquiries
UK / International Media Relations: +44 20 7934 5550
Americas Media Relations: +1 832 337 4355
Asia Pacific Media Relations: apac-media@shell.com
Middle East and North Africa Media Relations: mena.media@shell.com
Cautionary Note
Cautionary Note
The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The term “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’; ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, and a significant cybersecurity breach; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, 9 December 2024. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.
Shell’s Net Carbon Intensity
Also, in this announcement we may refer to Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” or NCI are for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.
Shell’s net-zero emissions target
Shell’s operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, they reflect our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plans cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is currently outside our planning period. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.
Forward-Looking non-GAAP measures
This announcement may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as cash capital expenditure and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.
The contents of websites referred to in this announcement do not form part of this announcement.
We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.