High Oleic Soybean Oil Makes Debut in Motor Oil

Motor oil has a new formulation in town, all thanks to high oleic soybean oil.

Biosynthetic® Technologies, a chemical company based in Indiana, has created a new choice in motor oil by uniting performance and sustainability at a competitive cost. The high oleic motor oil is USDA BioPreferred® certified with 26% renewable content.

According to Kerri Garvin, executive director of the Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition, if 1% of motor oil use is converted to biobased motor oil, 2.4 million gallons of petroleum would be taken out of the environment each year.

Every quart-size bottle of Biosynthetic motor oil formulated with high oleic soybean oil contains the equivalent of three pounds of soybeans. Proven to have a higher heat stability than other oils, high oleic soybean oil is well-suited for high-temperature automotive and industrial applications. The the improved oxidative stability is just one of many attributes making high oleic soybean oil optimal for Biosynthetic Technologies’ motor oil, says Biosynthetic Technologies Executive Vice President Jake Bredsguard.

“This biobased motor oil exceeded our expectations in terms of performance and engine cleanliness,” – Tim Fitzgerald

The motor oil spent nearly two years in rigorous testing with 185 different government and military vehicles, from U.S. Postal Service vehicles to U.S. Homeland Security and NASA. The trial found the soy-based formulation provided environmental benefits, increased engine longevity and reduced petroleum use by 30%. It also met all performance requirements set by the United States Department of Defense.

The United Soybean Board supported research and development of this soy-based alternative to petroleum-based motor oil. USB introduced the product to the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) for use in their fleets. After field testing the motor oil, DC Water found the soy-based motor oil improved fuel efficiency, increased performance and ran cleaner in the engine than petroleum-based motor oil.

"If 1% of motor oil use is converted to biobased motor oil, 2.4 million gallons of petroleum would be taken out of the environment each year."- Kerri Garvin

“This biobased motor oil exceeded our expectations in terms of performance and engine cleanliness,” said Tim Fitzgerald, director of fleet management for DC Water. “The oil samples have shown increased longevity and stability over time, while the equipment appears to be cleaner, which is a definite plus for us. The oil is biodegradable and less harmful to the environment. I see real potential for greater use of this biobased alternative in the future.”

Biosynthetic Technologies currently has 5W-20 and 5W-30 motor oils available for purchase at motoroil.biosynthetic.com, and is also available on Amazon.