A Peer-Reviewed Critical Analysis of SAE Paper 2002-01-2894 “The Impact of MMT Gasoline Additive on Exhaust Emissions and Fuel Economy of Low Emission Vehicles (LEV)” 2002-01-2903

SAE Paper 2002-01-2894 entitled, “The Impact of MMT Gasoline Additive on Exhaust Emissions and Fuel Economy of Low Emission Vehicles (LEV)” presents discussion and conclusions concerning the emissions from vehicles that accumulated mileage on gasoline with and without the fuel additive, methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (or MMT^®). Although the authors of the paper express concern about use of MMT^®, the data on which the authors rely are consistent with the results and conclusions from prior evaluations of MMT^® which have found that MMT^® is compatible with effective emission control system operation (1,2,3). All vehicles tested in the study met the emission standards for all pollutants that apply to the test vehicles in-use and analysis of the data show MMT^® had no effect on fuel economy. What is especially noteworthy about the present study is that the compatibility of MMT^® has now been demonstrated in a program commissioned by the automobile industry using the most advanced vehicles currently available operated under extremely severe conditions as part of the test protocol.