Ways to reduce diesel emissions for fleets

Vehicle CO2 emissions are an increasingly crucial consideration for modern fleets. Reducing tailpipe greenhouse gases will help your organization appeal to an eco-conscious market and may prove vital in complying with future environmental regulations. While many fleet managers understand this need, how to lower diesel emissions may be less clear.

Zero-emission vehicles are the most obvious solution, but they’re not viable in every situation. Commercial-grade, long-range electric and hydrogen trucks are not nearly as common as consumer alternatives. Even when they are available, they’re typically expensive. Recharging infrastructure is also not yet widespread. Consequently, many fleets need to focus on lowering diesel emissions in the short term before embracing larger changes.

Every fleet faces unique opportunities and challenges in lowering their automobile emissions, but a few best practices apply to almost every scenario. Here are four strategies to optimize your greenhouse gas levels.

1. Optimize routes

Route optimization is one of the most impactful yet accessible ways to reduce diesel engine emissions. A 2020 study from Western Sydney University found that optimized routes can reduce emissions by 62% per month in some heavy-duty vehicles.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can assist with this by recognizing opportunities to save distances or time that humans may miss. Routing software incorporating real-time traffic data makes such models even more effective, as the most efficient route may change between moments. You don’t need much technological expertise to implement AI routing algorithms, either, as you can find many off-the-shelf solutions available today.

Additionally, AI-enabled route optimization carries its own cost justification, as shorter trips will result in lower fuel spending. Fleets serving a broader area or operating a larger number of vehicles will benefit the most from this strategy.

2. Address inefficient driving behaviors

How your drivers act on the road can also impact your tailpipe fumes. Consequently, you can save gas and lower diesel emissions by holding employees accountable for inefficient driving habits.

The Department of Energy says aggressive acceleration and braking can reduce mileage by up to 40%, and speeding can lower it by up to 14%. Coaching drivers to avoid such behaviors will produce an inverse effect. Maintaining speeds around 50 miles per hour and being gentle when speeding up and slowing down could result in surprising efficiency gains.

This strategy is most impactful when you track individual drivers’ habits through a telematics system. Having specific data to show employees how they can improve and holding them responsible for these changes will promote efficient driving more effectively. This method is also beneficial for smaller fleets that cannot afford more technological approaches.

3. Practice proactive maintenance

Optimized maintenance is another relatively straightforward but helpful way to improve fuel economy. Even if your repair schedule prevents large breakdowns, it may not keep your trucks in top condition for extended periods, leading to higher than necessary vehicle CO2 emissions.

For instance, issues like a faulty oxygen sensor can impact your fuel economy by as much as 40%, according to the National Renewable Energy Lab. Other maintenance practices like keeping tires properly inflated, tuning engines, and replacing old oil may have a smaller effect, but even minor improvements can add up across an entire fleet.

The optimal care strategy depends on your organization’s specific situation. Larger fleets with higher budgets will benefit the most from a data-driven predictive maintenance approach. However, this method may be too costly and technologically complex for smaller businesses, which may only need a manual inspection-based plan.

4. Consider zero-emissions alternatives

Eventually, you should consider how and when to swap vehicles for zero-emissions alternatives. Battery-powered trucks are the most widespread option, but hydrogen fuel cells also hold promise, as they enable longer ranges and take less time to refuel than battery EVs. The global energy sector has already decreased its emissions by 30% through hydrogen power, showcasing its potential.

Biofuels may present another alternative. These combustion fuels don’t remove all hazardous gases, but they do significantly reduce them and can work in existing engines without modifications.

Regardless of the specifics, switching to emissions-free vehicles will be expensive. EVs take roughly five to six years for fuel and maintenance savings to make up for their upfront costs. In light of that payback period, you could plan to replace vehicles along five-year increments, starting with your oldest, least efficient model to maximize the savings. Keep in mind that trucks that travel more will have a faster payoff period, as they’d otherwise need frequent refueling.

You can also identify the optimal moment to upgrade based on depreciation and maintenance costs. Once a vehicle’s ongoing expenses reach a certain point, it may be more cost-effective to replace them with a hybrid or EV. That varies between fleets, vehicles and local tax credits, so keep a close eye on such considerations.

Lower emissions for diesel trucks are possible

Reducing emissions for diesel trucks can seem impossible or at least impractical at times, but there are more options than you may realize initially. Recognizing the many ways you can lower greenhouse gases is the first step to fostering a greener fleet.

These four strategies represent some of the most effective and accessible options for diesel emissions improvements. Start here and monitor your specific fleet data to build toward a sustainable future.