Total has launched a premium diesel and unleaded fuel which it claims offers 30 more miles per tankful, cares for the car engine and creates less pollution.

Total Excellium will be premium priced in line with Shell Optimax, BP Ultimate and Esso Energy Supreme, and Excellium Unleaded will replace Super Unleaded at the same price.

Stephanie Lumley, retail marketing manager for Total UK, said: “While most retailers’ strategy is to encourage more customers to their sites, we realise that the best service we can provide is to enable customers to fill up less often. We are confident that Excellium is a very strong and competitive market offering.”

Excellium was launched across 20 company-owned sites in Nottingham and Derbyshire, and at TCS CrossOaks in Berkhamsted on April 14. The first dealer site received Excellium two days later in Lower Edmonton. The fuel is now available at 50 sites nationwide, and by September, it will be available at 400 sites.

The Excellium Unleaded rollout programme is initially planned for sites that currently sell Super Unleaded because these can easily accommodate the introduction of the advanced fuel as a replacement. Phase two of the rollout will identify and convert sites that can accommodate further grades of fuel. Excellium Diesel is available across three Total forecourts and will be rolled out to selected sites.

In the early stages of the rollout, Lumley said that marketing will be localised. “Once Excellium has reached critical mass, we will then look into broader marketing initiatives.”