The importance of sustainability in fleet management has increased significantly in recent years due to the growing awareness of environmental and climate protection. Companies are increasingly recognizing the need to make their fleets more environmentally friendly in order to reduce CO2 emissions and conserve resources. In this blog post, we give you tips on how to make your fleet sustainable and thus fit for the future by taking various measures.
Sustainable fleet through electrification: The future of ecological corporate mobility
Electrification of the vehicle fleet is a significant step that companies can take toward environmentally friendly mobility. The use of e-vehicles offers a wide range of environmental and economic benefits that not only help reduce CO2 emissions, but also represent a forward-looking and economical investment.
Electric vehicles do not produce harmful emissions while driving, which makes a significant contribution to environmental protection. Even though e-vehicles are more expensive to purchase than conventional vehicles with combustion engines, electrically powered vehicles are convincing due to their lower operating costs. This is because fewer moving parts that are susceptible to wear are installed, resulting in lower and more cost-effective maintenance requirements. According to the Institut für Automobilwirtschaft (IFA), this can save around 35 percent of costs.
Fuel efficiency through eco-driving: Sustainable fleet through anticipatory driving
Increasing the fuel efficiency of conventional vehicles can reduce emissions harmful to the climate while also generating savings. Simple measures such as regular maintenance, tire pressure monitoring and driver training to promote an environmentally conscious driving style, known as eco-driving, play a crucial role in making the fleet more sustainable.
Eco-driving is a fuel-saving driving style. Through a combination of technical knowledge and conscious behavior, drivers learn to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The basic principles of eco-driving include anticipatory driving, avoiding unnecessary acceleration and braking, maintaining optimal speeds, and utilizing the vehicle in an efficient speed range. It not only helps reduce CO2 emissions, but also offers economic benefits. An environmentally conscious driving style leads to lower fuel consumption and thus cost savings for the company. In addition, smoother driving extends the life of vehicles, which in turn reduces the environmental impact of producing new vehicles.
Alternative fuels: diversity for clean mobility
The use of alternative fuels is another key component of a sustainable fleet strategy. Biodiesel, bioethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG) and hydrogen are just a few of the environmentally friendly options that can serve as substitutes for conventional fuels. They significantly reduce CO2 emissions and help promote the circular economy. They also open up opportunities for companies to switch to renewable energy sources, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.
- Electricity: E-vehicles use electrical energy from batteries as a power source and produce no emissions.
- Hydrogen: Hydrogen-powered vehicles generate energy from fuel cells, hydrogen reacts with oxygen.
- Biofuels: Biofuels are produced from renewable raw materials, such as biodiesel from vegetable oils or bioethanol from grain, sugar cane or corn. They can be used in conventional vehicles or blended with conventional fuels.
- Natural gas: Natural gas can be used in the form of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) or LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) for vehicles and produces less harmful CO2 emissions.
- E-fuels: These are synthetic fuels produced with the help of renewable energies, such as solar or wind. Their properties are similar to fossil fuels and they can be used in existing internal combustion engines. According to the DAT Barometer in March 2024, 91% of all fleet managers surveyed have already addressed the topic of e-fuels.
- Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG): LPG is a mixture of propane and butane and is also known as autogas and has lower CO2 emissions than gasoline or diesel.
- Hybrid technology: In hybrid vehicles, an internal combustion engine is combined with an electric motor. The energy generated by braking is used to charge the vehicle.
Corporate car sharing: Sustainable fleet through vehicle sharing
Corporate car sharing is one of the key components of a sustainable fleet that reduces environmental impact and increases operational efficiency. Vehicle sharing is a modern and sustainable solution to reduce the number of vehicles in the fleet.
Instead of providing each employee with their own vehicle, a pool of vehicles is shared. This leads to resource optimization, as vehicles are better utilized and idle times are minimized. This not only saves costs, but also reduces the environmental impact, as fewer vehicles are produced and fewer CO2 emissions are generated. Moreover, car sharing in combination with electric or hybrid-powered vehicles can make an additional contribution to reducing pollutant emissions and contribute to greener mobility.
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A sustainable fleet through telematics and data analysis
In today’s era of digitalization, telematics and data analytics are opening up new horizons for fleet management and enabling companies to make their vehicle fleets more sustainable. Telematics is a system that makes it possible to record and transmit vehicle data in real time. This data includes a variety of parameters such as vehicle location, speed, fuel consumption, engine performance and much more. Digital networking enables fleet managers to efficiently monitor and control the use of vehicles.
By combining GPS technology, sensors and mobile communications, companies can determine the exact location of their vehicles to optimize route planning and minimize idle time. This leads not only to a reduction in fuel consumption, but also to a reduction in CO2 emissions. In addition, telematics also enables precise monitoring of driver behavior. By evaluating the collected data, valuable insights can be gained that optimize fleet management and contribute to greater sustainability in the fleet.
Measurable targets and reporting: transparency for a sustainable future in the fleet
To make the fleet sustainable, measurable goals and transparent reporting are essential for success.
- Measurable goals: The path to change: The first step on the road to a sustainable fleet is to set clearly defined and measurable goals. These goals should be specific, realistic and time-bound. Companies can, for example, set themselves the goal of reducing the CO2 emissions of their fleet by a certain percentage or increasing the proportion of electric vehicles within their fleet by a certain date.
- Transparency and credibility: Measurable targets not only serve as a guide for the implementation of sustainable measures, but also contribute to transparency and credibility. Companies that clearly communicate their goals demonstrate their commitment to a sustainable future and gain the trust of their customers, partners and stakeholders.
- Reporting: Regular reporting on progress is a critical step on the road to a sustainable fleet. By collecting and analyzing relevant data, companies can evaluate their performance, identify strengths and weaknesses, and adjust their goals as necessary.
