Press Release

Since 2004, when the Czech Republic joined the EU, the consumption of petrol has decreased by 3.7%. The consumption of diesel fuel, on the other hand, has increased by an entire 25%. This can be attributed to an increase in lorry shipping, but also to an increasing number of personal automobiles with diesel motors. Fuel suppliers have reacted to this trend by extending the offer of diesel – primarily through the development of new premium diesel fuels or an innovation of their current ones. Benzina has come with the latest change to its portfolio of fuels, becoming the first on the Czech fuel market to improve its premium Verva Diesel fuel by increasing its cetane number from 55 to 60. It has also started cutting back on the sale of its Special 91 petrol, which has been continually losing its position over the last several years. The consumption of petrol has been continually decreasing since the Czech Republic’s entry to the European Union. In 2008 alone it decreased by an entire 4%. In that very same year the consumption of diesel fuel decreased slightly (by 1%) for the first time in eight years, which was primarily caused by the impact of the world-wide economic crisis. This slight decrease has had no effect on the fact that the consumption of diesel fuel has increased in the long run. Approximately 30% of the personal automobiles are currently equipped with diesel motors. The situation is the opposite for N1-category utility vehicles - up to 75% of them drive on diesel. And it seems that this trend will continue in the future since diesel motors are considerably more economical in the case of vehicles that cover more than 40 thousand kilometres a year

Fuel suppliers have reacted to this trend by developing additives and also premium types of diesel, for example. Various diesel fuel additives are on offer today at a wide range of petrol station chains in the Czech Republic and the suppliers are constantly working on improving them. Premium diesel fuels are more and more in demand in connection with the development and modern composition of the fleet of diesel-powered personal automobiles and some kinds of utility vehicles.

Benzina has also reflected the increasing demand for premium diesel fuel through the development of the new, improved Verva Diesel, which (with its unique sixty cetane units) is to become the highest quality diesel fuel on the Czech market, only comparable perhaps with some foreign products. “Demand for extra quality diesel is increasing. It is primarily caused by the fact that companies are getting wealthier, by the increasing dieselisation of personal automobiles in the Czech Republic and the goal of satisfying the demanding requirements on the quality of diesel for modern diesel motors,” Václav Loula, Benzina’s Quality Manager, stated. Verva Diesel is currently on offer in more than 120 filling stations operated by Benzina.

Premium diesel fuels are not only suitable for the most modern diesel engines, but also for all older constructions. In fact older, louder motors with worse startability at lower temperatures show appreciably better results with premium diesel.

BENZINA, s. r. o. is the company with the most extensive network of filling stations in the Czech Republic. It currently operates more than 330, a total of 107 of which are operated under the premium brand name of Benzina plus. These filling stations do not only offer high-quality additivated fuel, but now also premium VERVA fuel and a further assortment of Benzina products and accompanying services



Questions and Answers

What is premium fuel?

Premium fuel is understood to be fuel that has above-standard qualitative parameters. For diesel the main such parameter is the cetane number, along with other important quality attributes. It can generally be said that brand-name diesel originates by the addition of an original recipe of additives to standard diesel fuel.

What is the cetane number?

The cetane number is a quantity indicating the quality of diesel fuel from the perspective of its compression ignition characteristics. It is a parallel to the octane number for petrol. The higher the cetane number, the higher the quality of the diesel. The cetane number is influenced by the chemical composition of the selected diesel fuels and additives. For the most modern motors the required cetane number ranges from between 50 and 60. Because the values of the cetane number have a considerable influence on the polluting of the environment, its minimal values are prescribed by legal regulations both on the level of the European Union and in the national legislation of the EU member states. Currently-valid legislation allows the use of diesel fuel that has a minimum cetane number of 51.

Why fill up with premium Diesel? What benefits does it have for the automobile?

The motor starts better with premium diesel fuel; it has a higher performance, quieter combustion and much smoother operations. Thanks to the higher performance the consumption of fuels also decreases considerably. Last, but not least, the exhaust fumes contain fewer undesirable by-products, so the operation of the automobile is much more environmentally-friendly than with regular diesel fuel.

What makes Verva Diesel different?

Diesel with a cetane number of 60 with its basic chemical composition is produced in Česká rafinérská and developed according to an original recipe of additives especially for the Czech market. Verva Diesel is currently the highest quality diesel fuel on the Czech market and only the top diesel fuels abroad with similar parameters can measure up to it, though not to its price – that remains favourable.

Benzina has decided to stay with the tried and true Verva Diesel name even though the new recipe has continued to increase the qualitative parameters but does not change the basic idea, which is to offer modern prime fuels than offers drivers a better feeling when driving, gives motors and injection equipment and the entire fuel system a higher level of protection and brings cleaner emissions to the environment.