The ALD Automotive – Shell FuelSave MPG Marathon, now in its 12th year, demonstrates how both vehicle and driver can significantly help to reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions and ultimately costs for businesses. This year’s top-performing team achieved over 108mpg in their Ford Fiesta Sport Van; an impressive 38% improvement over the manufacturer’s combined mpg rating.
Although a competitive event, the MPG marathon reveals that with the right training, vehicle, and driver attitude, achieving the official mpg figure may not be as unrealistic a target to achieve in real world conditions as is commonly accepted. Indeed, the leading team among the cars that took part showed that with sensible driving a 24% improvement could be achieved driving a Peugeot 208 GTi.
In addition to cost savings, eco-driving can also bring a number of other benefits to businesses, including safer driving which helps to reduce risks and accident levels. It can also help firms to meet environmental targets and boost corporate reputation.
Mel Dawson, managing director of ALD Automotive, said: ‘We have been heavily involved in the MPG Marathon for the last seven years; it’s the UK’s leading economy driving event and it helps to highlight the important financial benefits to businesses that eco-driving can bring. Even the most fuel-efficient vehicles in a fleet will not reduce cost if the keys are handed over to drivers who accelerate and brake too harshly. This behaviour, so-called “right foot thinking”, has a substantial impact on risk, CO2 output and fuel consumption – and ultimately, cost.
‘It’s encouraging to see so many drivers competing in this year’s competition and to see the results they are achieving; a combination not only of having a fuel-efficient car but more importantly, an eco-efficient driver. Why the event is so good is that it is not solely aimed at the most fuel efficient vehicles, but at a wide spectrum of typical fleet models – both cars and vans – and shows how it is driver behaviour which should be the key metric to look at in reducing costs going forward.’
‘ALD Automotive remains an industry leader in researching how companies can best manage their drivers and costs. We are continually developing methods for businesses to monitor driver style, such as our award winning telematics technology. As we have previously shown, businesses can use this technology to both praise good driving behaviour and help those whose driving style needs to be addressed. ALD Automotive’s sponsorship and involvement in the MPG Marathon reinstates our long-term commitment and business ethos to eco-driving and fuel efficiency.’
