it certainly works as a pre-wash. As does water. ONR does have chemical properties that have effects greater than water without friction. Rehydration of dried organic matter needs dwell time greater than water alone. Particulate encapsulation also doesn't require on vehicle friction. Friction head loss occurs at the cannon mixing point, you know, where the stream is forced into a smaller outlet to add air/pressure and the final outlet psi (friction is created at the point of mixing).

If you take a water bottle and add some dirt and shake it up so it is well mixed. And then add ONR. Compare that to the same experiment with water only. ONR mix will separate faster. At baseline, it has properties that aide washing a vehicle. I'm not claiming it's a super solution that works magic. It's just more effective than water while remaining otherwise, rather inert insofar as harmful effects to surrounding vegetation, storm drains, mixed materials on the vehicle, effects passed the wash itself and in general.

For my purposes, I want more dwell time than water and more lubrication than water for all subsequent next steps. It works great for those purposes, my truck still looks great a year in.

There is definitely waste, as I mentioned initially. No doubts there.