Fuel is the single largest expense for your non-electric fleet, regardless of its size. As regulations become more strict and electric vehicles begin outperforming those with internal combustion engines, you must act proactively to integrate fuel-saving technologies.
Why Non-Electric Fleets Must Become Fuel-Efficient
Renewing an entire fleet is not financially or logistically feasible for many small and midsized companies. Still, non-electric vehicles must quickly become more fuel-efficient. While the looming ban on internal combustion engines (ICEs) has been pushed back to 2035, you cannot wait to begin preparations.
In addition to maintaining compliance with ever-constricting regulations, firms must strive to be on par with electric vehicles. Research is underway to improve battery capacity while shortening charge time, meaning their non-electric counterparts will need to become drastically more fuel-efficient and sustainable to remain competitive.
Image: ReFuels
Fleet Monitoring Systems to Improve Fuel Economy
Monitoring technologies may not directly improve a vehicle’s fuel economy, but they can enable data-driven interventions that indirectly contribute to efficiency gains.
- Fuel Monitoring System
A fuel monitoring system displays the real-time diesel usage rate, enabling drivers to adjust their behavior and achieve optimal outcomes. Research shows they consume 15% less fuel when paying attention to their feedback screen.
- Predictive Maintenance
Substandard upkeep adversely impacts fuel economy. For example, low fuel pressure can significantly lower fuel efficiency and cause performance issues. With predictive maintenance, you can prevent these issues from ever occurring.
Going one step further, fully integrating artificial intelligence into computer vision and telematics systems would create an autonomous fleet. The AI could track dozens of fuel-related data points while en-route, enabling firms to optimize maintenance practices.
- Tyre Monitoring System
Underinflated tires cause aerodynamic drag, drastically increasing on-road fuel consumption. A tire monitoring system that tells drivers precisely how inflated their tires are enables them to intervene immediately, improving efficiency mid-route.
Fuel-Saving Technologies That Can Improve Fleets
You can leverage several fuel-saving technologies to improve the efficiency of your ICE-based fleets.
- Low-Rolling Resistance Tyres
Low-rolling resistance tires reduce on-road energy loss and help drivers maintain a consistent speed, improving fuel economy. Compared to baseline tires, they consume 8% less fuel in typical driving conditions.
- Idle Time Reduction Device
Idle time is a considerable drain on diesel. For an entire fleet, the cost of fuel consumed while idling can be thousands of pounds annually.
An idle time reduction device limits the amount of diesel wasted on idling by automatically shutting off the engine when the truck stops and restarting it when the driver presses the gas pedal. This aftermarket add-on can significantly increase fuel economy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
- Climate Control System
Of course, some idling is necessary for climate control while complying with hours-of-service requirements. Instead of keeping the engine on, drivers can use direct-fired heaters to warm up the engine block and provide heat to the sleeper cabin. Also, they can use a battery-powered generator for air conditioning.
- Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil
Some companies have switched to alternative fuels to compete with electric vehicles. For instance, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) — a diesel-like biofuel — has a fuel efficiency level 1.5 percentage points above its optimized diesel counterpart. It is also easier on engines.
How to Deploy These Fuel-Saving Solutions in Fleets
These aftermarket add-ons have multiple off-the-shelf variants, which will work for most fleets. That said, integration is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach. Managers like you must consider solutions that address your specific pain points and accommodate your operators.
Author: Evelyn Long, Editor-in-Chief of Renovated Magazine
