With road transport vehicles responsible for over a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, adopting good driving habits is essential. Eco-driving offers numerous advantages for effectively reducing truck fuel consumption. However, before investing in training courses, we've put together a guide to eco -driving specifically for heavy goods vehicles. At the end of the article, we'll share an innovation that, when combined with fuel-efficient driving, delivers exceptional results.
What is eco-driving adapted for trucks?
Eco-driving is economical driving that applies to all road users. Every type of vehicle—car, motorcycle, van, etc.—can adopt several methods based on anticipating and managing driving variations to make journeys more environmentally friendly and safer. The practice thus becomes flexible and intelligent by eliminating all the bad habits that impact fuel consumption.
The road transport sector is particularly affected. Trucks are responsible for 25% of CO2 emissions on European roads. Yet, they represent only 5% of the vehicles registered on the continent. Beyond the environmental impact and fuel consumption, which remains a key issue today, there is also the financial impact on operators.
A fleet of trucks represents a significant expense in terms of energy, maintenance, etc. Adopting good practices to reduce fuel consumption is therefore of increasing interest to truck drivers.
What are the advantages?
Eco-driving for road transport offers numerous advantages. It is therefore partially integrated into initial driver's license training, as well as other (FIMO, FCO) to ensure that drivers adopt good driving habits both when first learning to operate the vehicle and throughout their professional activity.
Its implementation helps limit CO2 emissions, reduce the risk of accidents, and save fuel. Eco-friendly driving is therefore a first step towards a transition to a more sustainable activity, without necessarily having to switch to electric vehicles. Let's look at this in more detail.
Reduce the fuel consumption of your heavy goods vehicles
As we mentioned earlier, with rising fuel prices, reducing truck fuel consumption has become essential for transport operators whose profit and loss statements are increasingly impacted by energy costs. Thanks to eco-driving, vehicles can achieve significant savings, not only on fuel but also on the frequency of replacement of certain wear parts. Thus, with responsible driving, it is possible to reduce fuel consumption by up to 25% and to a lesser extent impact tire life, for example, which significantly affects fuel consumption.
Reduce the carbon footprint of your trucks
Reducinga truck's carbon footprint is directly linked to eco-driving practices. By anticipating actions related to events occurring on the road, vehicles can significantly limit their CO2 emissions. A good understanding of your vehicle also contributes to reducing your carbon footprint. Modern engines are very different from those of older trucks. For example, preheating is no longer necessary, and gear shifting with a modern gearbox has also evolved.
Eco-friendly driving reduces the risk of accidents
Thanks to anticipation, eco-friendly driving can reduce the risk of road accidents. Managing one's driving with fewer sudden movements, accelerations, lane changes, and hard braking (except in specific situations, of course) are all preventative actions that reduce risks. Indeed, truck drivers are required to drive long hours, and road users can be unpredictable. Finally, when we perform the same actions daily, we can sometimes develop bad habits from driving all day for years. Eco-driving for trucks thus helps avoid these errors by significantly improving road safety and awareness of one's surroundings.
What are the main rules of eco-driving?
Contrary to popular belief, eco-driving isn't just about increasing travel time. In reality, it encompasses a range of practices that allow you to better plan your route before setting off and while driving. Here is a non-exhaustive list of the main rules of eco-driving.
What are the points to check before your departure?
Before hitting the road, several elements must be checked to ensure safe driving while maximizing your truck's performance. Furthermore, regular maintenance of your heavy goods vehicle allows you to anticipate potential problems, limiting costs and CO2 emissions.
- Defining your route before departure: this allows for a smooth drive by avoiding slowdowns and other congestion.
- Check tire pressure : incorrect pressure can lead to increased fuel consumption, in addition to a risk of blowout.
- Remove any unnecessary load to alleviate the overall weight induced by the goods.
- Do not leave your truck idling: this generates unnecessary pollution.
How to apply eco-driving throughout the journey?
Anticipation is the key toeco-driving. Indeed, variations in speed lead to increased fuel consumption, which can range from 20 to 40%, while also causing rapid wear on certain truck parts. Here are several rules to follow to limit pollution while ensuring user safety:
- Respecting safety distances: anticipation is simplified with the use of engine braking which releases less exhaust gas.
- Driving at a constant speed: fuel consumption is limited, as are carbon dioxide emissions.
- Respect the limits: respecting the highway code ensures the safety of all users while limiting excessive fuel consumption.
- Reaching the highest gear quickly: choosing the right gear ratio avoids driving at high revs which consumes more fuel.
- Turning off the truck engine during a stop of more than 20 seconds is more economical than leaving the vehicle running while stationary.
- Use air conditioning and heating responsibly to avoid excessive fuel consumption.
- Closing the windows when the speed is above 60 km/h: this affects the aerodynamics of the heavy goods vehicle which increases fuel consumption.
Eco-friendly driving coupled with the ECOLOW system for heavy goods vehicles
Eco-driving allows drivers to adopt good habits that improve driving and safety on board their heavy goods vehicles. Let's explore these advantages in figures.
How much savings can be achieved with eco-driving?
A transport company can now use connected tools that can be downloaded directly to the trucks in a fleet to obtain data on the performance and consumption of heavy goods vehicles.
The savings achieved through eco-friendly driving depend on the size, engine type, and load of the truck. However, it is generally accepted that fuel savings can reach 15 to 25%. Some studies also show that controlled driving can result in up to 40% less fuel consumption compared to aggressive or sporty driving. Of course, these are extreme cases. Internal combustion engines can thus save between 0.5 and 3 liters. Furthermore, when switching to electric vehicles, the driving range will also depend on driving style.
It is also possible to modify your fleet by purchasing electric trucks or opting for biofuels such as hydrogen. However, this represents very significant costs for operators, such as changing automatic transmissions to achieve decarbonization. There is, however, another solution that allows for substantial savings on all types of fuel in the long term: ECOLOW technology. Combined with eco-driving, the impact is even greater.
Optimize your consumption with ECOLOW technology
The implementation of ECOLOW required over two years of research in France. Today, it is showing satisfactory results for the transport sector and other maritime, agricultural, and other industries. With 95% customer satisfaction and 446,000 tons of CO2 saved, ECOLOW promises to reduce fuel consumption by 5 to 7%* for road vehicles and up to 20%* for other types of machinery.
*It should be noted that for certain winter-grade fuels (GNR), the result is reduced or even negated.
Thefuel saver reduces your costs while limiting pollution and AdBlue usage. The module is interchangeable between vehicles and complies with aftermarket accessory standards. In short, you don't void your manufacturer's warranty because nothing is modified on the engine. ECOLOW thus allows you to embrace the ecological transition by reducing your environmental impact while saving money.