Outlook for 2026

One of the exciting aspects of working on the Chevron Lubricants team is that our industry is always looking and moving forward. That’s also true of the industries we serve. The end of another year and the start of a new one is a good time to reflect on what we’ve accomplished and what we’re hearing from customers about where the industry is going.

Regardless of the market segment – whether it’s passenger cars, heavy-duty commercial vehicles, or industrial machinery – one constant refrain we hear from our customers is the need to optimize and extend the service life of their equipment. This is especially true in an inflationary environment and a time of economic uncertainty. Deferring the replacement of expensive vehicles or equipment while reducing maintenance and downtime are among the levers customers can use to control costs. The quality of oil you use is a big factor in prolonging engine or equipment life without compromising performance. Chevron is always working on developing and improving our lubricant products to meet these objectives.

Industrial Equipment: Keeping it Clean

One way we help our industrial customers optimize equipment life is our VARTECH^® Industrial System Cleaner (ISC), which is designed to remove potentially damaging varnish buildup in turbine engines, hydraulic systems and other industrial applications. Once varnish is removed, our GST^® turbine oils, formulated with VARTECH Technology, serve to mitigate its recurrence. The same is true for our Clarity^® Hydraulic fluids, also formulated with VARTECH Technology. Chevron’s Cetus^® compressor fluids will soon contain the same varnish-resisting technology.

Passenger Cars are Running Longer than Ever

In the passenger car segment, we’ve seen a clear trend toward people wanting to keep their cars longer than in the past. In 2025, the average life of a car in the U.S. reached a record 12.8 years, according to data from S&P Global. We have a unique offering with our Techron^® fuel additive, which helps extend engine life by cleaning away deposits in the engine and the fuel system. As cars age, drivers can turn to our Havoline^® LIFELONG High Mileage full synthetic oil, specially formulated for engines that have crossed the 75,000 mile mark.

This past year, we introduced our line of GF-7 passenger car motor oils, formulated to meet the new API GF-7 standard. These oils are designed to keep pace with the evolution of modern engines and also meet the growing demand for full synthetics and synblends in the market. We expect to see the synthetic trend continue as more and more consumers seek the dual benefits of all-weather protection and improved fuel economy.

New Heavy Duty Oil Categories and Formulations on the Way

On the heavy-duty side, the big news in the year ahead will be the final development, testing and approvals of PC-12 oils, in preparation for launch in January 2027. Under PC-12, two new categories (API CL-4 and API FB-4) of heavy-duty engine oils will be introduced in response to stricter emission and emission system durability standards set to take effect in 2027. Chevron is already ahead of the game on one of the key PC-12 requirements, lower sulfated ash content in oils. Our Delo^® 600 ADF was the first and remains the only heavy-duty oil formulated with ultra-low-ash technology, which is designed to reduce ash clogging in diesel particulate filters while delivering significant fuel economy benefits.

The other trend we’re seeing in heavy duty fleets is growing acceptance of and demand for full synthetic and synblend oils. The new generation of synthetics are capable of delivering the protection fleet operators demand, along with added fuel efficiency and longer drain intervals, which should ultimately outweigh the incremental cost difference between synthetics and conventional oils. Chevron is in the forefront of this trend with our top-tier Delo 400 XLE SB synblends and Delo 400 XSP full synthetic line.

All in all, it’s going to be another year of change, as evolving engine technologies and marketplace needs place new demands on lubricant performance. Chevron is on top of industry trends and working to help our customers stay ahead of them.