ECR UK, with the support of some of the major vehicle and trailer manufacturers, has compiled a ten point guide to increasing fuel efficiency.
Fuel costs form a significant component part of an organisations transport costs and the use of fossil fuels is a prime driver of vehicle carbon emissions.
While there is development and innovation taking place within both the fuel and vehicle industries, it is likely to be some time until these technologies are widely available to the mass market.
With fuel accounting for at least 30% of transport operating costs, and increasing pressure to reduce CO2 emissions, there is a real opportunity to drive improved fuel economy within existing fleets and assets through the application of some simple principles.
The following guide has been designed to help businesses reduce their fuel use, reduce their carbon emissions and save money.
Top 10 Tips to Drive Fuel Economy:
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Maintain correct tyre pressures and replace worn tyres
As tyre pressure decreases, the tyre contact area and the related elastic deformation (flexing) increase. This in turn results in an increase in rolling resistance and tyre wear, and fuel consumption increases. In contrast, an excessively high tyre pressure reduces the rolling resistance, but at the same time leads to less ride comfort and shortened tyre life. Heavily worn tyres increase fuel consumption.
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Correctly maintain the tractors and trailers in your fleet
The technical condition of the tractor and trailer unit are critical for economically efficient vehicle operation, regular maintenance and care are key to this. It is important to use the correct oils and correctly maintain axle alignment, steering adjustment and fifth wheel position. Axles which are offset (i.e. where front and rear axles are not parallel) and inexact steering alignment both increase fuel consumption. While regular scheduled checks and maintenance are vital, so to are ongoing processes which encourage drivers to check and report defects.
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Manage the aerodynamics of the vehicle
Air deflectors, cab side deflectors, front under-bumper spoilers and aerodynamic side trim panels are additional equipment items which can significantly help to improve fuel economy in applications with high speeds and high mileage. It is important that air deflectors are correctly fitted and accurately married to the height of the trailer as incorrectly adjusted these can have a detrimental effect on fuel efficiency. Air deflectors must be adjusted for different semitrailers and for swap and fixed bodies.
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Choose the appropriate route
The topography, route and traffic situation all have a great influence on fuel economy. Routes which involve more breaking and accelerating away from traffic controls, such as roundabouts and traffic lights, increase fuel consumption. It is also the case that the shortest route is not always the best from a fuel economy point of view, particularly if the tractor unit is fully loaded it can be worthwhile choosing a slightly longer but flatter route. Night running avoids traffic congestion and improves fuel efficiency.
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Cut down on un-necessary wheel load
If the wheel load (vehicle weight) increases, this also results in an increase in tyre contact areas, flexing, rolling resistance and therefore fuel consumption. Options for achieving a lower kerb weight include; omission of spare wheel, application-specific tanks, aluminium rims, aluminium compressed-air reserves, lightweight fifth wheels and carrying no more fuel than necessary for the journey.
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Choose the right tyres for a specific application
High tread depth leads to increased fuel consumption, with summer and winter tyres having different tyre profiles they have differing impacts on fuel consumption. It is therefore important to ensure that the correct tyre is in use at the appropriate time (i.e. don't leave winter tyres on vehicles in summer).
Wider tyres result in higher fuel consumption than narrow tyres due to the greater contact area, increased flexing and higher air resistance. Compared with super-wide tyres, twin tyres have a larger contact area, higher weight and greater flexing in the sidewalls, hence super-wide tyres result in a lower fuel consumption than twin tyres.
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Driver training, performance monitoring and improvement programmes
The driver plays a critical part in the fuel economy of a vehicle through driving style, speed and correct use of gears. Increased fuel economy can be gained through continually engaging drivers, training them, monitoring their driving style and giving constructive feedback to drive improvement. It is also important that drivers are trained in any new technical developments and innovations in order to exploit the full technical capabilities of the vehicle.
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Consider alternative trailer designs
There are many alternative trailer designs which can reduce fuel consumption. Double deck trailers typically increase load capacity by around 60-70%, reducing the number of journeys to carry the same goods. Pillarless curtain side trailers offers fuel savings without compromising the load space or loading apertures. Aerodynamic trailers, such as the teardrop, can reduce drag while increasing capacity. Caution should be exercised when considering alternative trailer designs. It is important to ensure that any loss of space, or additional space provided, as a result of the design are consistent with operating needs.
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Manage the aerodynamics of the load
Air resistance is the sum of all forces which the air exerts during driving on the front area of the vehicle, vehicle body and open cargo. In addition to the use of additional equipment on the vehicle (mentioned above) it is also important to manage the aerodynamics of the load. Tarpaulins should be tightly lashed and tensioned on the whole vehicle. When carrying open cargo, it should be arranged without gaps if possible to avoid air turbulence. A fixed tarpaulin cover saves a lot of fuel on long journeys and at high speeds by minimising drag.
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Select the right unit for the application
In order to achieve lower fuel consumption, it is important to specify the most appropriate truck, powertrain and trailer combination for the planned vehicle application and topographic conditions. While the correct choice of unit can minimise unnecessary journeys, it is key to ensure that overall height of the rig is as low as possible - consistent with 'doing the job'.
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Acknowledgements
IGD and ECR UK would like to thank the following vehicle and trailer manufacturers for their contribution to developing this guide:
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