麻豆传媒

That鈥檚 the impression given by recent North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) data anyway, which clearly shows that lower viscosity engine oils are one of the top three most widely adopted fuel saving techniques of leading US fleet companies.¹ Alongside other efficiencies, this allows these market leaders to pull away from the average, over-the-road tractor fuel economy of 6.24mpg to an increased 7.23mpg.¹ Meanwhile, those fleets that do not employ similar practices are missing out on the opportunity to reduce costs by roughly $5,000 per truck.¹

The NACFE Industry benchmarking tool reveals the work being done by leading fleets in the areas of chassis; powertrain; tractor and trailer aerodynamics; idling; wheels; and operating practices. However, it is lubrication that crosses a number of these categories 鈥� notably, chassis and powertrain. For example, 96% are adopting automated manual transmissions, which require a synthetic gear oil for fuel economy and long-drain reasons, while 100% are adopting synthetic axle oils.¹ Likewise, 91% are adopting 10W-30 low viscosity engine oils, with 39% going one step further by adopting FA-4 super high efficiency 10W-30 or 5W-30 engine oils.

When added up, these figures create a picture of leading operators not only identifying, but taking advantage of, the benefits that low viscosity lubricants can deliver throughout the entire operating system. Benefits which are enabled by oils that are thin enough to reduce flow resistance and friction, making it easier for the lubricant to be pushed throughout the system, while still providing the protection, efficiency and performance needed to operate within today鈥檚 harsh operating environment.

Changing your lubricant can be a simple task 鈥� even across a large fleet. Simply do so during your regular service and then reap the rewards as the lower drag of your new, low viscosity oil allows for greater fuel economy. With no need for costly driver training or complex performance measurement, changing oil is a simple, controllable, and effective way to reduce fuel usage across your fleet.

Responses to the State of Sustainable Fleets survey indicate that small fleets likely have the most to gain from adopting vehicle efficiency technologies and practices. Nearly 70% percent of fleets with more than 1,000 vehicles used efficiencies in the last two years.² By contrast, only 42% of fleets with fewer than 1,000 vehicles report use of these efficiencies in the annual survey.² Whereas cost and access can be significant barriers to clean fuel adoption for some fleets, efficiency investments offer a cost-effective and accessible path to emissions reductions. 

The NACFE data demonstrates the advantage of combining a range of efficiency-saving technologies and practices. A marginal gains approach that is perhaps best embodied by the Starship Initiative 鈥� a hyper-aerodynamic, super fuel efficient, heavy-duty concept truck designed and built by Shell Lubricant Solutions and Shell Technology Teams. The second iteration thus far, Starship 2.0 brings together the best of today鈥檚 existing and custom technologies to explore just how energy efficient road transport can be for goods. 

Following in the footsteps of its predecessor Starship 1.0, which shattered efficiency records in 2018, Starship 2.0 was tested on the same coast-to-coast route but with an increased average speed and heavier payload of 23.55 tons. The truck was equipped with everything from a carbon fibre cab to integrated truck skirt engine heat extractors, a fuel-efficient tyre setup and new drive train configuration, alongside advanced Shell lubricant technologies for on-highway fleets in the form of:

• Shell Rotella T6 Ultra 5W-30, FA-4
• Shell Spirax S6 GXME 75W-80 transmission fluid
• Shell Rotella ELC coolant
• Shell Gadus S5 V220 2 chassis grease
• Shell Spirax S6 GME 40 wheel hub oil

All of which combined to deliver levels of efficiency that 鈥� if every truck in the US could achieve 鈥� would reduce on-highway trucking emissions by approximately 71.5%.³ That is equivalent to the avoidance of 275 million tons of CO₂ emissions each year.²

While these headline figures are attention-grabbing to say the least, the key takeaway here is that Starship demonstrates in microcosm what is possible when the full mosaic of available solutions is fully leveraged in tandem 鈥� as is reflected by NACFE鈥檚 麻豆传媒 Fleet Fuel Study findings.

So, when it comes to improving the fuel efficiency of your fleet, there shouldn鈥檛 be any secret to it 鈥� especially in regards to choosing a low viscosity oil. However, rather than simply keeping up with the competition, why not consider reaching out to a lubrication expert that can help you become the competition?

Shell is a technology leader in this space and can work with you to introduce the latest products to your fleet, so you can meet today鈥檚 performance and regulatory requirements. And with dedicated, experienced, local account managers and technical, cross-market experts, you can be sure you鈥檙e getting advice that is tailored to your needs.

¹ North American Council for Freight Efficiency. 鈥�.鈥� 2022.

² Gladstein, Neandross & Associates. 鈥�.鈥� 2023.

³ Shell. 鈥�Shell Starship Initiative 鈥� Accelerating towards a carbon neutral future.鈥� 2022.

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