A viral V-Power fuel quality test by an automotive content creator has sparked debate among Kenyan motorists after revealing inconsistencies in Vivo Energy premium fuel performance, across several petrol stations in Nairobi.
The content creator conducted the test at seven stations and found that some premium fuels underperformed compared to standard fuels.
The test measured the Performance Octane Number (PON) of fuels at each location.
For instance, Total Limuru Road recorded the highest rating at 92 PON, followed by Astrol Rosslyn at 91 PON.
Other stations, including Total Spring Valley and Rubis UN Avenue, both registered 90 PON, indicating relatively stable fuel quality.
Also Read: Global Oil Prices Fall a Week After Kenya’s Fuel Increase
Results of Test from Shell Stations
However, Shell stations showed unexpected results that challenged the assumption that premium fuel always delivers superior performance.
At Shell Limuru Road, V-Power, the brand’s high-performance fuel, scored 87 PON, while the standard fuel at the same station recorded a higher rating of 91 PON.
Also, a similar trend was observed at Shell Lavington, where V-Power scored 87 PON, while the regular fuel at the same location recorded a superior 90 PON.
The findings have led to concerns among consumers about whether paying extra for premium fuel guarantees better quality.
Moreover, some drivers online have been left questioning whether premium fuels are worth the additional cost and whether fuel standards are being maintained consistently across different stations.
Also Read: EPRA Increases Fuel Prices for January and February
Vivo Energy Responds
In response, Vivo Energy Kenya, the exclusive distributor of Shell products, has defended its fuel quality.
According to the Sunday, February 2 statement, Vivo Energy emphasised that all fuel imports adhere to strict regulatory and quality control standards before being distributed to petrol stations nationwide.
“Our fuel imports into Kenya adhere to strict quality standards, with two standard Research Octane Number (RON) categories: Unleaded (RON 93) and Shell V-Power (RON 95).
“Each shipment is certified at the source and undergoes further rigorous testing upon arrival into the country,” Vivo Energy Kenya stated.
Moreover, the company acknowledged the concerns and announced an independent investigation, including laboratory tests, to verify the claims.
“At Vivo Energy Kenya, we have stringent quality control measures in place at our depots to ensure that all fuels meet the required standards before being distributed through our nationwide Shell service station network.
“We take these claims seriously and have stringent quality control measures in place. We will provide further updates once our review is complete,” added the company.
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