Japanese Company Launches Racing Engine Oil from Palm Oil

The use of palm oil is becoming increasingly unstoppable. While palm oil has long been perceived as a cooking oil ingredient and biodiesel blend, it is now also considered excellent as a component in lubricants used in racing car engines. It is Idemitsu Kosan, a Tokyo-based company, that made this discovery and subsequently named the palm oil-based engine oil: Idemitsu IFG Plantech Racing. As reported by Kompas, citing Happy Eco News (February 28, 2025), the lubricant oil in question is made from 80% plant-based materials and has been declared to meet the latest engine lubricant standards from the American Petroleum Institute. Reportedly, this engine oil uses sustainable palm oil as its base ingredient, supplemented with esters from rapeseed oil and sunflower oil. This composition makes the carbon footprint of Idemitsu IFG Plantech 82% lower than conventional oils. This figure is based on estimates from the Japan LP Gas Association, which considers the entire product lifecycle from production to disposal. The motor oil, resulting from this environmentally friendly concoction, unexpectedly proves to be very reliable for high-speed engine performance. Based on tests conducted by Idemitsu, palm oil-based oil demonstrated 194% higher toughness compared to other premium oils, 50% lower friction, 169% better for engine components, and 124% cleaner pistons. This means the oil helps the engine operate smoothly and efficiently while reducing wear on critical vehicle components. “Our technology combines the best innovation and environmental responsibility,” said a representative from Idemitsu. Furthermore, the initial launch of Idemitsu IFG Plantech Racing is targeted at customers in Thailand, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia through the company's online stores. Plans to expand availability to the United States, Brazil, Mexico, UAE, China, India, and other regions are underway. In Indonesia, the story of utilizing palm oil downstream products as an energy source has been planned for a long time. However, it was only in February 2023 that the B35 mandate, which is biodiesel with a 35% FAME blend into diesel fuel, was implemented, and at the beginning of 2025, it became B40. Meanwhile, crude palm oil (CPO) has been tested as a jet fuel blend in Indonesia since 2021. On October 27, 2023, Indonesia successfully conducted its first commercial flight using biofuel or Bioavtur. Palm oil began to be used as a cooking oil ingredient in the 1990s. (25)