Thanks for that link. From the interview (with JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy employees, makers of ENEOS oil):
Question: What base oil stock is 0W-16 made from, and does it have any special properties?
Employee 1: It is a 100-percent synthetic oil made from Group III base stock. The key point to 0W-16 is formulation, not raw material. The most important thing is [the formulation of the] base oil and additives.
Employee 2: The biggest thing we see when it comes to specialty oils like this is, any blender can come up with an oil that is a 0W-16 viscosity, but after the product is utilized, will it be able to withstand the heat; is there enough anti-wear protection and oil film retention; everything comes in to play.
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Seems like it would be a natural for hybrids like the Prius that probably don't stress their IC engines too much.
Interesting interview here with reps from the maker of ENEOS oils, they indicate that 0W16 would have developed even without CAFE due to Japanese efficiency standards, that they are already looking at 0W8 and beyond, and that they presently recommend 0W16 for the 2018 Camry in the US (IC only and hybrid). They are a little vague about US recommendation for newer Prius, Honda Fit, and Honda hybrids, but it sounds like they recommend 0W16 for those in Japan now.
https://noln.net/2017/06/30/skinny-ow-16-oil/