The Difference between RON92, RON95, RON97, RON99 and NGV

This is my attempt to write my first blog related to automotive. Let's talk about the available fuels in Malaysia, shall we?

What is RON?
Well, RON means Research Octane Number and it refers to the ability of gasoline to auto burn or ignition inside the engine. Higher octane number refers to higher ability of the oil to fight auto ignition. Simply say, RON97 is harder to burn compared to RON95 and RON95 is harder to burn compared to RON92.
Higher octane number oil is basically designed for higher performance cars such as sport cars and racing cars. This is to avoid premature burning of oil inside the engine due to the auto ignition, which happens before the spark plug ignite the fuel. This phenomenon is known as Knocking (ignition).
Knocking is reduces the performance of vehicle. The right usage of octane number based on design and adjustment of engine will maximise the performance and effectiveness of the vehicle. Modern vehicles are equipped with knock sensor which enables it to adjust its combustion timing automatically according to the oil octane number to avoid knocking or premature ignition of oil.

A lot of people believed that RON92 petrol is the older oil and it is only suitable for older cars. Believe it or not, not all vehicles require high octane number petrol. You can check your vehicle fuel requirement inside the guide book of your vehicle or you can simply check the minimum octane rating at the back of the fuel lid cover of your vehicle. Most cars can still use RON92. As comparison, RON92 petrol is less powerful than RON95 and RON97. However, higher RON number does not means that it is more powerful. It means that it is harder to ignite. Besides that, it will cost you more for the fuel.

What is NGV?
NGV stands for Natural Gas Vehicle. NGV is a vehicle which runs on natural gas, a fuel which burns much more cleanly than gasoline. Natural gas can power existing cars, buses or trucks by converting the engines to a bi-fuel capability. To convert vehicles to natural gas requires installing a tank, fuel pressure regulators, and fuel lines. Most systems incorporate an electronic module which adjusts the engine to maintain comparable performance levels with either fuel. Fueling the NGV is a bit more complicated than fueling a conventional car. Drivers need to find a natural gas fueling station. NGV is supported by the government of Malaysia with incentives and legislation to encourage vehicles owner to use NGV.