While service delivery and road safety are important to freight operations, fuel is a resource that needs to be well managed. Vehicle emissions can have a serious adverse impact on public health and climate change. Although fuel use varies considerably across different fleets, it nevertheless represents a major cost in most settings. In many operations, fuel can account for 30% or more of total operating expenses.
The Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme (RFAS) has been developed by Zemo Partnership to enable vehicle fleet operators to have independent assurance of the greenhouse gas emission and feedstock sustainability performance of high blend renewable fuels sold in the UK. Learn more about the Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme (RFAS).
In line with changing preferences, there are a growing number of technologies meeting or exceeding Euro 6/VI emission standards for air quality for trucks and vans. These technologies are capable of enhancing operational experience and some operate at similar costs to a diesel truck. They include:
Hydrogen fuel cell range extended electric vehicles
Zero emission electric vehicles
Hybrid (non-plug in) electric vehicles
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
Dedicated gas vehicles
Dedicated LPG vehicles
Dual-fuel LPG, and
Biodiesel B20 FAME
The range of available alternatively-fuelled commercial vehicles is increasing – but if you are unable to source a vehicle that meets your operational requirements, retrofit may provide a further option. In making this choice, you will need to consider the relative costs and benefits of the available options.
The key to effective use of alternative fuel lies in understanding the comparative strengths and weaknesses of different fuel types, some of which are outlined below:
Dedicated gas vehicles can be cheaper to run than diesel equivalents, and potentially less polluting, but refuelling infrastructure is not yet widespread.
Various forms of biodiesel (diesel made from pure or blended animal fat or vegetable oils, to be used in conventional diesel engines) and synthetic diesel are now available, often with significant environmental advantages, but availability is limited and not all vehicles are warrantied to run on them.
Pure electric vehicles can offer significant savings on fuel costs and have no direct tailpipe emissions. They are ideal for town and city centres where air quality is an issue, but can be expensive to purchase, and require recharging infrastructure. There are purchase incentives currently available for plug-in vehicles. While vehicles on offer now may not be suitable for all applications, battery technology and single charge range is improving constantly in the car market and recently among smaller vans. Technology is improving rapidly and economies of scale can be expected over the next few years.
Plug-in hybrid and range extended vehicles can offer the ‘best of both worlds,’ with advantages including some zero emission capability and greater range than pure electric vehicles, but they may not be very efficient for high mileage duty cycles. It is also important that these vehicles are appropriately run in zero emission mode, rather than constantly in diesel, so that emissions benefits are realised.
The identification and trial of alternative fuels should only ever be one element of a much more comprehensive fuel management programme. When deciding on the most appropriate type of fuel, it is worth considering:
The benefits to your organisation
The outcome of any known evaluations and trials
The operational, financial and environmental advantages and disadvantages of each fuel type
Supply availability, distances/tank range, and location of refill points
Conversion costs
Running costs
Availability of funding for conversion or infrastructure
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