Lower fuel usage and less emissions from driving 10kim/h slower were the result of a Melbourne to Sydney Scania test run
March 7, 2011
Scania has conducted a scientific experiment to help transport operators understand the benefits of travelling at 90 km/h instead of 100 km/h.
The Scania Fuel Duel was a two-day driving activity that saw two identical Scania R 560 V8-powered prime movers pull b-double sets from Melbourne to Sydney and back, loaded to 59 tonnes GCM.
The vehicles were driven by two highly experienced Scania Driver Trainers, with one vehicle travelling up to Sydney from Melbourne at 90km/h and the other travelling at up to 100km/h.
In Sydney the vehicles had their speed limiters reversed, so the vehicle that travelled up at 90km/h returned at 100km/h and vice-versa.
“This experiment is very important because it shows quite clearly the relationship between cruising speed and fuel consumption, and of course, carbon dioxide emissions,” says Roger McCarthy, Managing Director of Scania Australia.
“With the impending Carbon Tax, and greater environmental awareness, Scania feels the time is right to reignite the debate around the benefits of voluntarily reducing cruising speed limits.
“We also know that travelling at 90km/h offers drivers additional time to help them avoid an accident, plus reduce braking distances as well as reduce fatigue.
The prime movers used were drawn from the Scania Truck Rental fleet. One vehicle had covered almost 70,000km and the other around 96,000km prior to the test.
The Scania Fleet Management System was used to monitor every aspect of the journeys, to ensure the vehicles stayed on the route, stayed on schedule as well as keeping a watchful eye on consumption and emissions.
As a result of the drive 1536km round trip, Scania was able to determine that, from Melbourne to Sydney, the truck travelling at 100km/h used 45 litres more fuel than the truck travelling at 90km/h (494 v 449 litres).
From Sydney to Melbourne, the truck travelling at 100km/h used 11 litres more fuel than the truck travelling at 90km/h (486 v 475 litres).
From Melbourne to Sydney, the truck travelling at 100km/h emitted 118kg more carbon dioxide than the truck travelling at 90km/h (1308kg v 1190kg).
From Sydney to Melbourne, the truck travelling at 100km/h emitted 30kg more carbon dioxide than the truck travelling at 90km/h (1290 v 1260 kg).
From Melbourne to Sydney the differential in actual driving time amounted to 40 minutes, while on the return let it amounted to 53 minutes. Overall, the time differential amounts to around 4 seconds per km travelled.
While the fuel saving on the outward journey amounted to 10 percent, the overall round trip saving was 6 percent.
Scania says, as a real world example, for a vehicle travelling the Hume five times each week (a distance of 768km per trip, 3840km in total) over the course of a year, an operator could save around $10,000 per vehicle (at a diesel price of $1.27c per litre – allowing for the diesel fuel tax credit) running at 90km/h instead of 100km/h.
“From an operator’s perspective the financial savings would add up to a substantial sum each year, per truck,” McCarthy says. “This goes straight to the bottom line.