Automotive Coolant Companies

SECTION 1 — MARKET OVERVIEW

Why Automotive Coolant Market Is Expanding?

The global automotive coolant market is expanding at a steady pace, driven by rising vehicle production, growing vehicle parc, tightening engine performance standards, and the accelerating transition to electric and hybrid vehicles requiring specialized thermal management fluids. Market Research Future estimates the global automotive coolant market at USD 7.89 billion in 2024, projected to grow from USD 8.17 billion in 2025 to USD 11.51 billion by 2035, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.49% during the forecast period 2025–2035. Automotive coolants — typically ethylene glycol or propylene glycol dissolved in deionized water with corrosion inhibitor additive packages — serve the critical function of managing engine operating temperature, preventing coolant system freeze in cold climates, and protecting aluminum and ferrous cooling system components from corrosion and cavitation damage throughout the engine service life.

Ethylene glycol-based coolants are the leading product segment, due to their cost-effective thermal performance and the widespread OEM specification approval across worldwide vehicle platforms. Propylene glycol coolants are increasing their share in applications requiring lower toxicity formulations, especially for food processing equipment, agricultural machinery and recreational vehicles, where inadvertent contact of the coolant with food or animals is a safety concern. Passenger cars are the largest vehicle type application and heavy commercial vehicles are the highest value per unit application due to bigger cooling system volumes and more challenging operating situations. Technologically, Organic Additive Technology (OAT) coolants are the fastest growing segment, displacing legacy Inorganic Additive Technology (IAT) formulations as European and Asian OEM specifications increasingly require silicate-free, phosphate-free long-life coolants with 5-year or 150,000-mile service intervals. North America is expected to be the largest region in the automotive aftermarket. The fastest growing region is Asia-Pacific due to the increasing vehicle production in China and India and the growth of automotive aftermarket infrastructure. The rise of electric vehicles is creating a new demand paradigm – EV thermal management systems require specialized dielectric or aqueous coolants to cool battery packs, power electronics and electric motors, establishing a new, higher-specification coolant application that justifies premium pricing. The automotive coolant market is structurally robust and is projected to increase until 2035 due to the growing worldwide fleet, the advent of EV coolant need, and increasing awareness of eco-friendly coolant formulations, according to Market Research Future.

Why These Companies Are Leading the Market?

Market leadership in the global automotive coolant market is determined by four structural competitive factors:

OEM specification approval and factory-fill supply position: BASF GLYSANTIN and Valvoline Zerex G-05 hold factory-fill coolant approvals from major global OEMs — including Volkswagen Group, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and Stellantis — creating captive aftermarket refill demand from millions of vehicles that require specification-compliant coolant replacement, a recurring revenue stream that independent coolant formulators without OEM approval cannot access.

Brand recognition and retail distribution depth: Prestone's dominant North American consumer brand position and Motul's premium motorsport heritage demonstrate how brand equity — built through decades of consumer marketing and technical credibility in high-performance applications — translates into pricing power and shelf presence in retail automotive aftermarket channels where consumers select coolants based on brand recognition rather than technical specification comparison.

EV thermal management fluid development as a new growth vector: Shell, Valvoline, Prestone, and Petronas are all actively developing EV-specific battery coolant and thermal management fluid product lines, recognizing that the transition to battery electric vehicles creates a structurally new coolant application with distinct chemistry requirements — and that early OEM approval in EV thermal fluids replicates the competitive moat that OEM coolant approvals created in conventional vehicle markets.

Captive engine OEM and commercial fleet customer access: Cummins' Fleetguard coolant business demonstrates the structural advantage of engine OEM-owned coolant brands — where the same company that designs the engine also specifies and supplies the recommended coolant, creating a captive service fluid demand from its global installed engine base that no independent coolant brand can easily penetrate without equivalent engine OEM endorsement.

SECTION 2 — TOP 10 GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE COOLANT COMPANIES — MRFR RANKINGS (2026)

MRFR has identified and profiled the following leading automotive coolant companies globally, evaluated on the basis of revenue performance, geographic presence, product technology breadth, OEM approval status, application coverage, and innovation track record.

*Rankings based on MRFR analysis. Revenue figures sourced from official company filings and investor relations disclosures.

SECTION 3 — DETAILED COMPANY PROFILES

1. BASF SE (GLYSANTIN) | ETR: BAS | Ludwigshafen, Germany

Company Overview: BASF SE is the inventor of engine coolant and antifreeze technology and the manufacturer of GLYSANTIN® – the world's first and most trusted brand of automotive coolant – with a broad range of IAT, OAT and HOAT coolant formulations for passenger cars, commercial trucks, industrial engines and off-highway equipment around the globe. GLYSANTIN products are OEM approved by almost all major engine manufacturers, for example Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen Group, Volvo, Scania and MAN and are marketed in over 90 countries via a global automotive aftermarket and OEM supply network.

2025–2026 Update: In February 2023, BASF increased the availability of GLYSANTIN to consumers in Nigeria to cater for Nigeria’s large fleet of gas and diesel generators and commercial vehicles which operate under high thermal loads in a hot and humid climate - markets where GLYSANTIN’s multi-protection against cavitation, corrosion and overheating offers vital engine reliability benefits.

1. Chevron Corporation (Havoline, Delo, Zerex) | NYSE: CVX | San Ramon, CA, USA

Company Overview: Chevron Corporation is a global, integrated energy and specialty chemicals company with one of the broadest automotive and commercial vehicle coolant portfolios in the industry. Chevron markets engine coolants under the Havoline, Zerex and Delo brands for passenger cars, heavy-duty commercial trucks, off-highway equipment and natural gas engines. Its Zerex extended-life OAT and G-05 HOAT coolants are widely specified in US and European vehicle OEM factory fill and aftermarket applications, while Delo commercial vehicle coolants serve major fleet operators worldwide.

2025–2026 Update: Chevron’s Delo 600 ADF heavy-duty engine oil was approved for use in Cummins mobile natural gas engines in May 2023, following two years of thorough field testing and engine disassembly review, marking a significant validation of Chevron’s technical expertise in formulating alternative fuel engine fluids. In 2025, Chevron extended its EV thermal fluid portfolio for thermal management applications in commercial vehicles in hybrid and battery electric vehicles.

1. Shell plc (Shell Coolants) | LON: SHEL | London, UK

Company Overview: Shell plc is a multinational energy and lubricants firm with a substantial automotive coolant and antifreeze business, including OAT, HOAT and IAT engine coolants for passenger cars, commercial fleets and industrial equipment under the Shell Coolant and Helix brand portfolios. Shell’s coolant products are delivered through its global service station network, commercial fleet supply channels and OEM service networks in 70+ countries, with increasing focus on EV battery thermal management fluid development.

2025–2026 Update: In 2025, Shell increased its product portfolio of EV-specific battery coolant and thermal management fluid, targeting the fast-growing market for dielectric and aqueous coolants required by battery electric and hybrid vehicle manufacturers to manage battery pack and power electronics temperatures in a safe operating range.

1. Valvoline Inc. | NYSE: VVV | Lexington, KY, USA

Company Overview: Valvoline Inc. is a leading North American automotive lubricants and services company with a strong engine coolant and antifreeze business under the Valvoline and Zerex brand names, producing a broad range of OAT, HOAT and multi-vehicle extended life coolants for passenger cars, light trucks and fleet applications. Its Zerex G-05 HOAT coolant is the OEM factory-fill coolant for Ford, Chrysler and European vehicle brands. Zerex G-48 is for European and Asian vehicle applications that require silicated HOAT protection.

2025–2026 Update: Valvoline expanded its Zerex extended-life coolant line in 2025 to feature formulations specifically compatible with hybrid and battery electric vehicle thermal management systems, responding to an increasing demand for aftermarket service from vehicle owners and independent service centers servicing first-generation EV and hybrid fleets that are entering higher mileage service intervals.

1. TotalEnergies SE (Glacelf Coolants) | EPA: TTE | Paris, France

Company Overview: TotalEnergies SE is a global integrated energy company with a substantial automotive coolant business marketed under the Glacelf brand, providing OAT and HOAT extended-life engine coolants and IAT formulations for passenger vehicles, commercial trucks and industrial equipment across 130+ countries. TotalEnergies’ Glacelf range includes Auto Supra OAT concentration, Supra Plus HOAT and custom coolants for certain European OEM applications that require silicon-free or phosphate-free organic acid inhibitor chemistry.

2025–2026 Update: In 2025, TotalEnergies increased their offering of sustainable bio-based and low-toxicity engine coolants targeting European OEM and aftermarket channels where sustainability credentials of automotive fluids are increasingly embedded in supplier qualification criteria.

1. Prestone Products Corporation | Private (KKR) | Danbury, CT, USA

Company Overview: Prestone Products Corporation is the number one consumer automotive coolant brand in North America, producing the Prestone All Vehicles extended-life coolant and antifreeze that is advertised as compatible with all makes and models, and fleet-grade, heavy-duty and specialty coolant formulations for passenger vehicles, light trucks and commercial applications. Prestone is the most recognized consumer coolant brand in North America, with iconic brand recognition and retail distribution across the continent.

2025–2026 Update: In 2025, Prestone launched a new EV Ready coolant, designed to meet the needs of thermal management systems for hybrid and battery electric vehicles. This product is aimed at the increasing aftermarket need for coolants compatible with the aluminum heat exchangers, electric water pumps and battery thermal management circuits used in electrified vehicles.

1. Castrol (bp) | LON: BP (Parent) | London, UK

Company Overview: Castrol, a bp company, is a global leader in automotive lubricants and fluids and has a large engine coolant and antifreeze business marketed under the Castrol Radicool brand, providing OAT and HOAT extended-life engine coolants for passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles in more than 120 countries. Castrol’s Radicool NF and Radicool NF+ OAT coolants employ organic acid inhibitor chemistry, free from silicates, nitrites and phosphates, to suit the stringent standards of modern European and Asian engine OEMs, and are designed specifically for aluminium-intensive engine building.

2025–2026 Update: In 2025 Castrol extended its range of Radicool NF+ OAT extended-life coolants for supply to European commercial vehicle OEMs. The expansion reflects the growing need from truck and bus makers for silicate-free, nitrite-free OAT coolants that offer longer service intervals and are compatible with today’s heavy-duty aluminium engine blocks and cooling system components.

1. Motul SA | Private | Aubervilliers, France

Company Overview: Motul SA is a French premium lubricants and engine fluid specialist with an 170-year heritage in automotive chemistry, producing high-performance engine coolants under the Inugel brand for passenger vehicles, performance cars, and motorsport applications. Its Inugel Expert Ultra and Inugel G13 Ultra coolants deliver long-life OAT and HOAT protection meeting the most demanding European OEM specifications including VW TL 774-J G13, BMW N600 69.0, and Mercedes-Benz 325.6 — making Motul the premium performance coolant choice in European automotive circles.

2025–2026 Update: Motul launched the Inugel Expert Ultra extended-life OAT coolant with enhanced aluminum corrosion protection in 2025, targeting modern turbocharged passenger car engines and high-performance sports car applications where coolant aluminum compatibility and long-interval service life are critical performance requirements.

1. Petronas Lubricants International | Private (PETRONAS Group) | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Company Overview: Petronas Lubricants International (PLI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia’s national oil company PETRONAS and a leading lubricants and automotive fluids manufacturer in the Asia-Pacific region with a growing engine coolant business sold under the Petronas Paraflu brand. Petronas’ Paraflu OAT and HOAT extended-life coolants are used in passenger and commercial vehicles across Southeast Asia and Europe, where Petronas has several European OEM supply agreements for lubricants and coolants.

2025–2026 Update: In 2025, Petronas expanded its range of Paraflu EV thermal fluids to target the fast-growing EV manufacturing supply chain in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are all attracting major Chinese and international EV manufacturers who need locally sourced thermal management fluids.

1. Cummins Inc. | NYSE: CMI | Columbus, IN, USA

Company Overview: Cummins Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of diesel and alternative fuel engines and a major supplier of engine thermal management products through its Fleetguard filtration and coolant brand, producing ES Compleat OAT and HOAT heavy-duty engine coolants specifically engineered for the thermal management requirements of Cummins diesel, natural gas, and hydrogen engines. Fleetguard coolants are the factory-fill and recommended service fluids for Cummins engine platforms across trucking, construction, mining, marine, and power generation applications globally.

2025–2026 Update: Cummins expanded its Fleetguard coolant portfolio in 2025 for compressed natural gas and hydrogen combustion engine thermal management applications, developing coolant formulations that address the specific heat rejection characteristics and materials compatibility requirements of CNG and hydrogen engine architectures.