TOP TIER

What TOP TIER does

TOP TIER is a voluntary fuel performance standard program introduced in 2004 and currently sponsored by 12 major automotive manufacturers (Audi, BMW, Daimler Truck, Ford, GM, Honda, International/Navistar, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Subaru of America, Toyota, and Volkswagen). Its core products are the TOP TIER Approved Gasoline and TOP TIER Approved Diesel standards, with the 2026-launched TOP TIER+ family extending coverage to modern Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) and high-pressure common-rail diesel engines. Underlying technology consists of proprietary additive chemistry packages validated through independent ISO 17025 engine dynamometer testing at specified concentrations, addressing detergency, lubricity, fuel stability, and contamination control while prohibiting organometallic additives known to damage emissions aftertreatment.

Name

TOP TIER

Legal name

TOP TIER

Website

https://toptiergas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TOP TIER is an OEM-sponsored (12 major automakers) voluntary fuel performance standard for gasoline and diesel, licensed by 80+ fuel brands across 100,389+ stations globally and validated through ISO 17025 engine laboratory testing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fuel Performance Standards

NAICS

Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers (457)

SIC

Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Miscellaneous Products Of Petroleum & Coal (2990)

akta.pro primary industry

Passenger Vehicle Exhaust & Emissions Control Manufacturing (ICE) (IMACAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fuel & Air Induction Systems Manufacturing (Injectors/Carburetion/Intake) (IMACAHAC), Passenger Vehicle Fuel System Manufacturing (ICE) (IMACAAAH)

Keywords

• Fuel performance standards
• Gasoline quality certification
• Diesel fuel additives
• Fuel retailer licensing
• Automotive fuel specifications

Headquarters

HQ city

Midland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Fuel Marketer Licensing Fees: TOP TIER generates revenue through annual license fees charged to fuel marketers and retailers. The fee is based on the number of service stations owned/operated by each fuel marketer. This is the primary revenue stream that funds program administration, testing, and brand management.
2. Promotional Materials Sales: Sale of TOP TIER branded merchandise and promotional materials to licensees including pump decals, curb signs, banners, floor graphics, window clings, hose sliders, and apparel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

TOP TIER is a fuel performance standard program that licenses its proprietary gasoline and diesel fuel quality specifications to fuel marketers, retailers, and distributors. The program certifies that licensees' fuels contain enhanced levels of deposit-control additives that exceed the minimum EPA detergent requirements, helping reduce engine deposits and improve vehicle performance. The standard is jointly owned and sponsored by major automotive OEMs, and is administered by the Center for Quality Assurance (CQA).

Product overview

TOP TIER is a fuel performance standard developed by leading automotive and heavy-duty equipment manufacturers to improve fuel quality and meet evolving engine technology demands. The core offerings include TOP TIER Approved Gasoline and TOP TIER Approved Diesel fuel programs, with enhanced standards (TOP TIER+) designed for modern Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) and high-pressure common rail diesel engines. The portfolio is supported by the TOP TIER Station Finder mobile app and web directory, along with promotional materials for licensed retailers and consumer merchandise. The program establishes rigorous engine cleanliness performance standards using verified additive chemistry packages at proven concentrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TOP TIER+ Diesel: Enhanced diesel fuel standard with improved wear protection and oxidation stability for fuel system parts, in addition to base-level detergency and cleanliness.
• TOP TIER+ Gasoline

Quantifiable outcome

• TOP TIER Approved Gasoline is 19x cleaner than lower quality gasoline (AAA study)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers37 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship/core and flagship/founding.

• Subaru of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joined TOP TIER as sponsor in 2024, bringing total sponsors to 12 major automotive manufacturers. Subaru recommends TOP TIER for its vehicles.
• Detroit DieselcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joined TOP TIER as sponsor in 2017-2018. Detroit Diesel contributes to diesel fuel performance standards for heavy-duty applications.
• Daimler TruckcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joined TOP TIER as sponsor in 2017-2018. Daimler Truck contributes to heavy-duty diesel fuel standards and recommendations.
• FordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Joined TOP TIER as sponsor in 2016-2017. Ford participates in gasoline and diesel standards development for both automotive and heavy-duty applications.
• Navistar/InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Joined TOP TIER as sponsor in 2016-2017. Navistar/International contributes to heavy-duty diesel fuel standards.
• StellantiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Joined TOP TIER as sponsor in 2015. Stellantis (formerly FCA) contributes to fuel performance standards development.
• Center for Quality Assurance (CQA)flagship/coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2015Selected as TOP TIER Program Administrator in 2015. CQA has 20+ years experience in developing, implementing and administering custom licensing programs including quality control and monitoring, product auditing, marketing and more.
• Mercedes-BenzcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Joined TOP TIER as sponsor in 2013-2014. Mercedes-Benz contributes to diesel and gasoline standards development and recommends TOP TIER for optimal vehicle performance.
• Volkswagen/AudicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Joined TOP TIER as sponsor in 2013-2014. VW and Audi participate in standard development and recommend TOP TIER fuels.
• General Motors (GM)flagship/foundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Founding sponsor of TOP TIER program (2004). General Motors developed the specification for higher detergency gasoline with support from BMW, Toyota and Honda. GM's Program Manager Veronica Reilly, Senior Engineer GEFL, leads the program vision.
• BMWflagship/foundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Founding OEM sponsor of TOP TIER program (2004). BMW supports the fuel detergency standard development and recommends TOP TIER fuels for optimal engine performance.
• Toyotaflagship/foundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Founding OEM sponsor of TOP TIER program (2004). Toyota participates in standard development and recommends TOP TIER fuels for its vehicles.
• Hondaflagship/foundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Founding OEM sponsor of TOP TIER program (2004). Honda contributes to standard development and recommends TOP TIER fuels for vehicle maintenance.
• SAE InternationalcoreTechnology or IntegrationSAE International publishes technical papers related to TOP TIER fuel standards including studies on deposit control additive efficacy in GDI engines and evaluation of gasoline additive packages.
• CEC (Co-ordination Council for the European Community)coreTechnology or IntegrationCEC test methods used for TOP TIER Diesel Performance Standard including Internal Diesel Injector Deposit Test CEC F-110-16 and Direct Injection Common Rail Diesel Engine Nozzle Coking Test CEC F-98-08.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• BASF: Global chemical company with a significant fuel-additives portfolio (gasoline and diesel detergents, lubricity improvers, stabilizers). Comparable because its additives must meet TOP TIER's performance thresholds to be used by licensed retailers.
• Chevron Oronite: Chevron's fuel-additives subsidiary, producing detergent and deposit-control chemistries used in TOP TIER-approved gasoline (including Chevron and Texaco branded fuels). Operates in the same fuel-quality ecosystem.
• Afton Chemical: Major fuel additive manufacturer whose detergent packages are validated to meet TOP TIER performance standards. Operates in the same fuel-performance chemistry ecosystem and sells approved additive packages to fuel marketers who license the TOP TIER standard.
• ASTM International: Global standards organization publishing fuel testing methods (e.g., deposit-control test procedures) referenced by TOP TIER's performance specifications. Operates in the same fuel-standards ecosystem as a methodology and testing-standards authority.
• Infineum: Joint venture between Shell and ExxonMobil focused on fuel and lubricant additives. Its additive packages are validated to meet TOP TIER standards and are sold to fuel marketers globally.
• ILSAC (International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee): Industry committee defining performance standards for engine oils, jointly developed with API. Comparable as an OEM-driven performance-standard program in an adjacent automotive-fluid category.
• Lubrizol: Specialty chemicals company (Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary) producing fuel and lubricant additives validated against industry standards. Comparable as a supplier in the TOP TIER additive-approval ecosystem.
• SAE International: Automotive engineering standards body whose technical papers and test procedures support TOP TIER standards development, including GDI deposit-control efficacy studies. Comparable as a peer automotive-standards organization.

Broad incumbents

• American Petroleum Institute (API): Largest U.S. oil and natural gas industry trade association, defining fuel-quality and engine-oil standards (API service categories). Comparable as a broad incumbent in automotive fuel and lubricant standards, though its mandate is much wider than TOP TIER's.

Regional players

• ENEOS: Japan's largest oil company and fuel-additive producer. Comparable as a regional fuel-quality player whose products increasingly align with TOP TIER standards following the 2024 Japan market entry by Costco.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/toptierfuels
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@toptier4666/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/TopTierApproved
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/top-tier-gas
• Instagraminstagram.com/toptierfuels
• TikToktiktok.com/@toptiergasofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TOP TIER