Despite the best efforts of manufacturers to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, fuel continues to represent around 20% of the overall cost of ownership of a van. Finding a way to reduce the fuel bill therefore remains a major concern for fleet managers and van operators.
‘Today a mass market fleet vehicle is around 40% more fuel efficient than its equivalent 20 years ago,’ says Simon West-Oliver, director of Drive Software Solutions.
‘The trouble is that fuel is around 170% more expensive now than it was 20 years ago and it is this growing gap which means fleets are more exposed than ever to inefficiency and abuse.
‘In 1993 fuel was costing fleets around 50p per litre and it is now £1.35. Ignoring any short term spikes, that same long term trend means that fleets will be paying more than £2 per litre within the next decade.’
There are plenty of ways in which a fleet can reduce fuel consumption, from using fuel cards to accurately assess individual driver and vehicle performance, to telematic and tracking systems that show real-time vehicle use across a fleet. Many fleets are also turning to speed limiters, which have been shown to instantly reduce fuel consumption for high mileage users by as much as 5-10%, while others are downsizing their vans where possible.
Most companies agree though that driver training and economy driving incentives remain perhaps the most effective, and in many cases lowest cost, way in which companies can reduce overall fuel use. As Fleet World’s annual MPG Marathon regularly demonstrates, even seemingly unachievable manufacturer combined fuel figure claims can be bettered, if you are prepared to drive economically. That said, few fleets could live with the speeds achieved by some of the competitors.
There are significant benefits on offer to those companies that are committed to educating drivers in economy driving techniques however, with some training companies claiming that savings of up to 20% are achievable.
‘UK companies operate some of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on our roads, but many of these cars and vans are not being used to their full carbon reduction potential, due to the way they are driven,’ says Gerry Keaney, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA).
‘By encouraging staff to adopt a more efficient driving style, firms can cut carbon emissions and save on their fuel costs.’
This was backed up earlier this year by the Nissan Van Report, a new research initiative that looked at the way in which van drivers and fleet managers operate. The report claimed that 51% of fleet managers felt that driver training was the most popular measure for reducing fuel consumption, while almost 40% were keen on the use of speed limiters and 35% felt that telematics had a bigger part to play in effective fuel management.
‘Simple to apply defensive driving techniques can, on their own, eke out another 10% of fuel economy,’ says David Richards, of driver training business AA DriveTech.
‘When we train drivers to add specific fuel economy driving techniques they can improve consumption by up to 20%. Often these changes are simple, such as being light on the throttle, ensuring tyres are correctly inflated and keeping your distance from the vehicle in front so that there is space to brake and accelerate smoothly.
‘Given the sharp increase in the cost of fuel over the last few years, any saving that can be made on a fleet’s fuel costs will have a significant impact on that business’s bottom line.’
Caption: The annual Fleet World MPG Marathon proves careful driving can reap rewards.