Lex Autolease suggests... low emission vehicles

Is it a ‘quick win’ or in the ‘harder to do’ category?

Implementing a low emission vehicle policy such as high efficiency diesels and hybrids is not necessarily a ‘quick win’ because companies are typically tied into vehicle replacement cycles, but it is certainly an ‘easy win’ because most manufacturers have a plethora of lower emission vehicles already available and drivers are increasingly looking for cleaner more efficient cars.

What are the potential savings (monetary and/or CO2)?

When the Whole Life Cost (WLC) approach is combined with the new breed of low emission petrol and diesel vehicles, a company can make cost savings of up to 20% compared with using higher emission vehicles.  With taxes such as Vehicle Excise Duty, Company NI, Lease Rental Restrictions all based on CO2 emissions, and CO2 emissions being closely linked to fuel consumption, the costs savings are significant.

How can any potential hurdles be overcome?

Implementing these vehicles is a win-win approach for both the company and the driver. There is often little compromise for the driver in terms of vehicle performance and from the company’s perspective it can benefit from lower CO2 emissions and tax incentives. Some vehicle types like MPVs and SUVs can present problems where they are typically higher emission vehicles but a good level of vehicle choice will still remain.

...efficient driving

 

Is it a ‘quick win’ or in the ‘harder to do’ category?

This approach is in the ‘quick win’ category because initially it is easy to achieve, although it usually requires some investment in proper training and educational aids. It also fits in the “harder to do” category as well, as for this method to succeed in the long-term a business needs to embrace a “culture of efficient driving”.  This requires both driver training and education and ongoing communications and reporting to ensure drivers maintain their efficiency levels and driving skills.

What are the potential savings (monetary and/or CO2)?

A robust driving training policy and careful assessment, monitoring and ongoing awareness and reinforcement can lead to fuel savings of 5-10%, dependent on your starting position.  On the day of training we have seen efficiency improvements of up to 25%.

How can any potential hurdles be overcome?

The greatest challenge to overcome when trying to implement more effective and efficient driving is promoting a long term efficiency culture. Changing people’s driving habits is key and sometimes is difficult to achieve but the rewards are significant in both fuel cost savings and improved safety.  There is technology now available to help combat driver apathy and ensure safe and reliable driving is at the heart of the business, which may also be able to help.