Read the Specifications for EN 590 Diesel and EN 590 Gas Oil
EN 590 is the current standard for all automotive diesel fuel sold in the European Union member states and other European countries. This grade of fuel is also called ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD).
All road diesel (DERV) that is now sold in the UK meets the EN 590 standards and has a compulsory 7% by volume biodiesel component blended into it, usually EN 14214 FAME biodiesel. This is optional for EN 590 fuel used as gas oil, as is the cetane content.
EN 590 compliant fuels supplied by Crown Oil include red diesel (EN 590 gas oil )and DERV diesel (EN 590 diesel).
Confused by the various fuel specifications? Read our fuel specification guide.
Crown Oil also supplies fuels that meet Class A2 or Class D gas oil, providing the highest quality fuel for each specific application.
EN 590 ULSD Road Diesel Specifications
Crown Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel is road fuel, also called DERV or white diesel, that is suitable for use in all road vehicles powered by a diesel engine. Crown Oil’s white diesel is supplied with the below specifications:
| Parameter | Unit |
| Appearance | Clear and bright, free from visible sediment and water. |
| Colour | 2.5 max |
| Odour | Merchantable |
| Density @ 15°C g/ml | 0⋅820 min – 0⋅835 max |
| Cold filter plugging point | |
| Winter °C (*) | -15 max |
| Summer °C (*) | -5 max |
| Cloud point | |
| Winter °C (*) | -5 max |
| Summer °C (*) | +3 max |
| Flash point (PMCC) °C | 56 min |
| Cetane number | 51 min |
| Cetane index | 46 min |
| Viscosity cst @ 40°C | 2.0 min – 4.5 max |
| Sulphur % Wt | 0⋅001 max |
| Copper corrosion 3 hr @ 50°C | class I |
| Micro carbon residue: | – |
| Residue wt on 10% bottoms | 0⋅30 |
| Ash % Wt | 0⋅01 max |
| Particulate matter mg/kg | 24 max |
| Water mg/kg | 200 max |
| Distillation °C | |
| % Vol Rec @ 250°C | 65⋅0 max |
| % Vol Rec @ 345°C | 85·0 min |
| 95% Vol recovered ºC | 360·0 |
| Oxidation stability mg/100ml | 2·5 max |
| Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (%) | 11 max |
| Lubricity, Corrected water scar | 460 Diameter @ ºC |
*: Unless otherwise advised the following seasonal dates apply at point of sale:
Summer: 16th March – 21st October / Winter: 22nd October – 15th March
EN 590 Gas Oil Specifications: what physical properties does EN 590 diesel have? What are the fuel’s chemical properties?
Gas Oil meets BS 2869 (2010) Class A2 and the EN590 specification. Gas oil is a dyed and marked product, to be used for small furnace or boiler applications, stationary diesel and untaxed engines. Crown Oil supplies red diesel that meets EN 590 standards.
For diesel fuel to meet EN 590 specifications, it means that the fuel must have the required physical and chemical properties that the standard requires. The table below shows the physical properties and chemical properties that the EN 590 standard requires, as well as how the fuel meets these characteristics.
| Parameter | Unit | Minimum | Maximum | Typical |
| Appearance | Clear & bright, Cherry Red, Free from visible sediment. | Pass | – | – |
| Density at 15°C | kg/m³ | 0.820 | – | 0.860 |
| Kinematic viscosity at 40°C | mm²/s | 1.5 | 5.5 | 3.0 |
| Carbon residue(Ramsbottom on 10% residue) | % (m/m) | – | 0.30 | 0.10 |
| Distillation recovery at 250°C | % (v/v) | – | 65 | 42 |
| Distillation recovery at 350C | % (v/v) | 85 | – | 92 |
| Flash point (PMCC) | °C | 56 | – | >62 |
| Water content | mg/kg | – | 200 | <100 |
| Particulate content | mg/kg | – | 24 | <10 |
| Ash content | % (m/m) | – | 0.01 | <0.001 |
| Sulphur content | % (m/m) | – | 0.002 | <0.0015 |
| Copper corrosion(3 hrs at 50°C) | Class | – | 1 | 1a |
| Cold filter plugging point(1) Summer | °C | – | -4 | -8 |
| Cold filter plugging point(1) Winter | °C | – | -12 | -14 |
| Cetane number | – | 45 | – | 48 |
| Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) | % (v/v) | – | 7.0 | <0.1 |
| Carbon | % (m/m) | – | – | 87 |
| Hydrogen | % (m/m) | – | – | 12.75 |
| Nitrogen | % (m/m) | – | – | 0.01 – 0.05 |
| Gross specific energy (MJ/kg) | MJ/kg | – | – | 45.4 |
| Gross specific energy (MJ/litre) | MJ/litre | – | – | 38.8 |
| Mean specific heat capacity over 0 – 100°C | KJ/kg °C | – | – | 2.05 |
| Volume correction factor | per °C | – | – | 0.00081 |
| Strong acid number | mg KOH/g | – | nil | nil |
| Lubricity (HFRR) | µm | – | 460 | <460 |
| Oxidation stability 0.0 – 7.0% FAME | g/m³ | – | 25 | – |
| Oxidation stability 2.0 – 7.0% FAME | h | 20 | – | – |
For a supply of EN 590 fuel that you can trust, contact the Crown Oil team on 0330 123 1444 today.
