How to Reduce Fuel Consumption in Trucks?
How to Reduce Fuel Consumption in Trucks?
Posted on May 18, 2022
Fuel economy is an important cost factor for truck fleet carriers. Especially if the company runs a huge number of trucks, the fuel cost can become the major profit driver.
The good news is that there are several ways to lower truck fuel consumption, which reduces the fuel cost without compromising the quality.
Speed Levels
Driving style plays a major role in maintaining the power consumption, and there’s a reason employers punish careless driving, other than running into accidents.
Every additional kilometre driven above 100 km/h decreases heavy truck fuel consumption by 0.5 km/L. If that looks tiny, think about managing around 10 trucks running more than 500 km every day. It means losing more than 2,500 km/L daily.
Driving at 90 km/h is ideal, even better if you maintain the same speed during the trip and avoid sudden accelerations and frequent brakes, which cause the engine to use more power and result in a lower power economy.
Engine Idle-time
Engine idle-time is one of the major issues that truckers face. Being stuck in a traffic jam means that your engine is running and consuming diesel without moving or serving any benefit.
This job comes for the driver or the dispatch to choose the right time to move the truck away from peak hours. You’ll have less truck fuel consumption if your truck and engine move along without interruptions or idle time.
Some fleets found that around 40% of their engine running time was idle, which means the engine only provides 60% of its benefit. Therefore, check the engine running time regularly and minimize the inactivity time.
Maintenance
Looking after the engine will definitely improve your heavy truck fuel consumption. Run periodic maintenance checks to ensure the engine works efficiently.
Change the oil timely to keep the engine well lubricated, and change the air filter and air cooler to let your engine breathe. Otherwise, if the engine is clogged, it’ll require more energy to run and consume more fuel.
Additionally, tuning your truck will minimize any wear and tear for the parts and extend the lifespan of your vehicle, which also factors in fuel economy.
Tires Settings
Make sure the air pressure of the tires is according to the norms. Underinflated tires decrease fuel economy by 10% because they require more power to pull the truck forward.
Also, ensure the alignment of the wheels; any diversion from the balanced alignment increases the resistance of the wheels, leading to more fuel consumption.
In Conclusion
Reducing the fuel consumption contributes to prolonging the lifespan of your truck, and there are several ways to do so without changing the diesel you’re pumping into your vehicle.
Control the speed limit up to 90 km/h to avoid over-consumption. Periodically maintain the truck parts and tires' air pressure, and find ways to keep the truck running with minimum idle time.