Grahame Neagus, Head of LCV at Renault Trucks UK & Ireland: In 2020 there seemed to be a seismic change in the growth of plant-based eating for various health and environmental reasons, but could this be equally the same for our fuels? With all logistics companies looking to become greener and more effective in their operations, there is an undeniable move towards electromobility and gas. Yet with over 350,000 HGVs and some 1.5m LCVs on our roads today, the move towards a completely zero emissions logistics industry is still some time away. There has been much progress in last mile deliveries however, with electromobility taking the lead in that sector. With the world of LCV products like the Renault Trucks Master range, turning to 100% electric drivetrains and the TCO benefits for these inner-city deliveries becoming ever more attractive.
The bigger question therefore is how might a fleet that runs a mix of LCVs and HGVs that operate over greater mileages, reduce their carbon footprint but still run their operation effectively and efficiently? Certainly, electric HGVs are now available up to 26 tonnes GVW so things are changing for urban, back to base operations. But for trunking or variable mileage operations covering 100 miles one day but 300 the next, electromobility is not yet the solution.
Just as our eating habits are changing to embrace more plant-based foods to benefit our health and the planet, so we can look at a blended, biobased fuel solution for fleets to benefit the environment. For example, embracing electric for inner-city operations and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuels for operations that cover the UK. HVO is a drop-in alternative to conventional diesel, with the same chemical composition EN15940 and therefore can be blended in any combination, with fuels interchangeable throughout the life of the product. Offering an immediate opportunity to speed up our transition to a low carbon economy, HVO needs no CAPEX requirement and is usually considered to offer a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Typically feedstocks used to manufacture today’s HVO fuel are from 100% renewable materials or from waste and residues, including used cooking oils, minimizing damage to the environment.
At Renault Trucks, we have spent a lot of time working with this fuel, it is certified for Euro VI but is expected to be able to be used without issue in older engine vehicles, too. Running a vehicle on HVO as opposed to standard diesel has no effect on the maintenance or service intervals on vehicle, and does not affect manufacturer or parts warranties either.
Yes the fuel is marginally more expensive per litre and it is true you are not eligible for London congestion zone exemption should you need to go there, but with up to a 90% reduction in CO2, up to 30% in fine particulates and hydrocarbons as well as up to a 25% reduction in carbon monoxide and a 10% in NOx, you can make serious inroads into reducing your emissions footprint whilst retaining ultimate flexibility with conventional vehicles in these weight ranges right now.
So, if your strategy is to start reducing your carbon footprint today but you are worried about costs and range whilst retaining maximum operational flexibility, consider a blended solution of electromobility and HVO fuels in 2021.
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