Driving the Pan-American Highway with a Modern Diesel Vehicle — Where Can I Find ULSD?
This article discusses the ULSD availability & Diesel quality along the PanAm Highway.
A few words before we begin
Modern Diesel engines require a particular type of Diesel with a very low content of sulfur. This type of Diesel is called Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD).
Most modern vehicles require ULSD and also Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) or AdBlue as it is typically called in Europe. If your vehicle uses DEF/AdBlue it will refuse to work if you run out of it.
This information has been put together based on publicly availble information and field reports. If you find any information to be incorrect, please write a comment below.
Legend
✅ — available and relatively easy to find
🛑 — unavailable
️⚠️ — ️limited availability or very difficult to find
North America
Canada
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ✅
Note: All Diesel sold in Canada is at 15 ppm.
USA
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ✅
Note: all Diesel sold in the USA is at 15 ppm but there are Diesel is sold under different names depending on the state. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in the USA — A Field Report
Mexico
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ✅
Note: not all Diesel sold in Mexico is ULSD. Some Diesel might even have a concentration of sulfur of up to 500 ppm. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in Mexico — A Field Report
Central America
Belize
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue ⚠️
Guatemala
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ⚠️
Note: not all Diesel sold in Guatemala is ULSD. Some Diesel might even have a concentration of sulfur of up to 500 ppm. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in Guatemala — A Field Report
El Salvador
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ⚠️
Note: not all Diesel sold in El Salvador is ULSD. Some Diesel might even have a concentration of sulfur of up to 500 ppm. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in El Salvador — A Field Report
Honduras
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue 🛑
Note: Honduras currently does not have any ULSD. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in Honduras — A Field Report
Nicaragua
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue 🛑
Note: Nicaragua currently does not have any ULSD. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in Nicaragua — A Field Report
Costa Rica
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue ⚠️
Note: Costa Rica currently does not have any ULSD but the maximum sulfur content in Diesel is below 50 ppm. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in Costa Rica — A Field Report
Panama
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ✅
Note: All Diesel sold in Panama is ULSD. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in Panama — A Field Report
South America
Colombia
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue ⚠️
Note: Diesel in Colombia can have a sulfur content of up to 50 ppm. However, much progress has been made in recent years towards reducing the sulfur level in Diesel.
Venezuela
ULSD (no data)
DEF/Adblue (no data)
Guyana
ULSD (no data)
DEF/Adblue (no data)
Suriname
ULSD (no data)
DEF/Adblue (no data)
French Guiana
ULSD (no data)
DEF/Adblue (no data)
Ecuador
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue 🛑
Peru
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue 🛑
Note: Peru has Diesel with a sulfur content of up to 50 ppm from Repsol (B5 S50).
Brazil
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ✅
Note: Not all Diesel in Brazil is ULSD. The name of the ULSD Diesel is S10. [4]
Bolivia
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue 🛑
Chile
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ✅
Note: All Diesel in Chile is ULSD. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Diesel Quality and ULSD Availability in Chile — A Field Report
Paraguay
ULSD 🛑
DEF/Adblue 🛑
Argentina
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ✅
Note: Argentina has multiple grades of Diesel but ULSD is available throughout the country. For more details and an in-depth field report read the following:
Argentina: Here You Can Find Ultra-Low-Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) when Overlanding
Uruguay
ULSD ✅
DEF/Adblue ✅
References
[3] https://www.repsol.pe/content/dam/repsol-paises/pdfs/peru/distribuidores/14/Descripci%C3%B3n.pdf
