TRANSPORT INDUSTRY: FREIGHT VEHICLES
future for diesel?
Is there a Ross MacKerron, of fleet fuel
efficiency specialist Lightning Systems, gives his opinion on the future of diesel powertrains
I
n a world hurtling towards electrification, diesel’s place in this changing time has often been called into question. New headlines appear every few weeks proclaiming the death
of diesel, with initiatives to ban the sale of diesel vehicles and to take themoff the roads over the next few decades. This desire to eradicate diesels, however, is not necessarily the only way forward – particularly when considering the challenges we face in bringing electrification to the fore. There are a number of infrastructure
challenges which are hampering the swift move to electric powertrains. The UK is a long way off being able to deliver the infrastructure required to provide “clean” energy to power “clean vehicles”. Typical charging infrastructure for electric vehicles currently rely on burning fossil fuels to generate energy, which counters the benefits electric powertrains bring. Clean charging infrastructures require investment in nuclear, natural and renewable energy production. Nuclear power is the easiest volume producer for this infrastructure, yet it is fraught with security, cost and timeline concerns. In addition to charging challenges, the
cost implications of electrified powertrains are high.While the running costs of electricity compared with diesel and petrol are comparatively low, these costs are not sustainable. As demand increases for
44 /// Environmental Engineering /// December 2017
“data dump”, where no proactive actions are taken. Using expert analysis, it is possible to ensure vehicles are in optimum condition for service and unplanned repairs are reduced through predictive maintenance. Furthermore, detailed route analysis can
Dangerous particle emissions are less of an issue with cleaner, more efficient diesel engines; while fleet management and in-cab driver behaviour analysis help operators gain improved efficiency from their engines
vehicle charging, prices will quickly rise in tandem. With this inmind, it is highly unlikely
that there will be a point in the near future where diesel will cease to be and electric will
rule.Many drive cycles adopted by commercial freight operators are effectively delivered by
diesel.Modern diesels are efficient and relatively clean and with the increasing use of hybrid systems and fleet analytics products, clean diesel is happening now. With such a debate ahead of us tomake
clean infrastructure a reality, it is clear diesel will remain integral to the running of our fleets. The key is to ensure fleets make changes to improve diesel powertrain efficiency. A starting point is through skilled analysis of telematics data. Too many telematics offerings result in amere
easily flag up the best technological method of achieving fuel efficiency gains. Computermodels can be run to determine whether a full electric drivetrain would be most cost-effective, or whether a hydraulic hybrid systemwould generate a timely return on investment. Additionally, driver behaviour can bemonitored and improved which can have a huge effect on safety and fleet efficiency. Employing the correct drivetrain and ensuring the vehicle is driven well while in good operating order is paramount. Commercial fleetsmust becomemore savvy with regards to drivetrain deployment and fine tuning, harnessing analysis of telematics data. Diesel will remain the best fuel option
for a huge range of commercial drive cycles, but operatorsmust start scrutinising their fleet profiles through analytics programs to pinpoint areas where the likes of alternative drivetrains wouldmake commercial and environmental sense. EE
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