For now, diesel can be the best choice for fleets

With Tesla unveiling a new electric lorry earlier this month, a new study has estimated that the rapid recharge of each lorry will use the same amount of energy as that of 4,000 households.

Tesla is hoping to start making deliveries as early as 2019, but with the current infrastructure and refuelling options in place, global rollout might be sometime after that.

For fleet owners looking to the future, there is no doubt they need to start considering electric or even driverless vehicles in the long-term, but there’s still work to be done for this to be a reality. 

In the short to medium-term, diesel vehicles should remain the vehicle of choice for fleets. Given that European Environment Agency figures suggest the average age of a vehicle in a fleet is approx. 8.4 years for vans and 8.1 years for heavy duty vehicles, the chances are your next fleet vehicle purchase will be diesel.

Diesel engines are 20-30 percent more fuel efficient than similar capacity petrol engine, and the use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) can combat the harmful pollutants associated with diesel. Mobile resource management tools play a vital role in harnessing the benefits of diesel to improve environmental and economic performance as well.

They provide managers with complete visibility over their fleets, enabling them to monitor SCR fluid levels, minimise vehicle down time and better manage fuel consumption by reducing unnecessary idling and limiting poor driver behaviour.

Contact us if you would like to learn more about Mobile Resource Management and how technology can help you improve your diesel or electric fleet’s performance.