As reported by the Telegram channel “Mash,” in the past month, service centers have recorded up to six times more owners of Chinese-made cars seeking repairs – the weekly number of calls increased from 1-2 to 6-10.
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The likely culprit is the so-called “Euro-2” standard gasoline, which the Russian authorities allowed to be produced, imported, and sold until July 1, 2027.
Why was Euro-2 gasoline banned?
This fuel can contain up to 500 milligrams of sulfur per kilogram – potentially 50 times more than allowed under the Euro-5 standard – and it is not subject to any restrictions for certain pollutants, such as benzene.
Russia banned Euro-2 fuel in 2013 but later legalized it again because oil refineries, affected by Ukrainian drone strikes on oil infrastructure, can no longer meet demand.
Due to these disruptions, the average gasoline price has risen by more than 17 percent since the beginning of the year, reports TVP World.
The lower standard allows oil refineries to produce fuel using a less intensive refining process – thus supplying the market with hundreds of thousands of tons of gasoline additionally each month.
How it harms the car
However, experts say this measure is unlikely to fully compensate for the lost fuel quantity due to attacks on oil refineries, and high-sulfur gasoline may cause problems for modern cars.
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Mechanics reported faults such as power loss, difficult starting, warning lights turning on, and increased fuel consumption.
Not only Chinese cars
Chinese vehicles stand out in fault reports because their modern, often turbocharged engines are designed according to newer fuel standards and may be more sensitive to gasoline quality, reports TVP World.
Chinese brands also rapidly expanded in Russia after Western car manufacturers left the market – this happened after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, the problem is not limited to Chinese cars.
Russian mechanics warn that other modern turbo engines may also experience power loss and component damage when running on high-sulfur fuel.
“I am absolutely sure that engine failures have become more frequent,” said one technical specialist to the Russian newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets. “And I assure you that Volkswagen or Renault cars from the same period can also lose power due to high-sulfur gasoline.”
Experts also warn that long-term use of Euro-2 gasoline may be costly for drivers even after the fuel shortage ends – essential components such as fuel pumps, valves, and catalytic converters may be damaged.
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