Switching to strong label-rated tyres could save fleets £500 million
UK businesses could reduce fuel costs by up to £500 million a year if they fitted more fuel efficient tyres on their company vehicles, according to new research by the Energy Saving Trust. According to a statement from the organisation designed to highlight the fuel saving benefits of low rolling resistance tyres, the difference between the best and worst tyres on the market in terms of efficiency can reduce vehicle fuel consumption by up to 7.5 per cent over the lifetime of the tyres.
By these calculations, selecting more efficient tyres for their company vehicles, UK companies could reduce fuel costs by up to £500 million per year. Here’s how the logic works: there are 3.9m company vehicles (2.4m cars and 1.5m LCVs) in the UK. If the tyres on 50 per cent of them were changed from the least to the most efficient grade, UK companies could reduce fuel costs by up to £500 million per year. In addition, this would reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1 million tonnes.
Therefore the Energy Saving Trust is urging businesses to select best-in-class tyres for their vehicles and the new legislation will make it much easier for them to do so.
Tim Anderson, senior knowledge manager at the Energy Saving Trust, said: “We welcome this new legislation and hope that fleet managers and leasing companies benefit from the substantial long-term savings they can make. “Better tyres may cost more to purchase but this additional expenditure is usually more than offset by the fuel savings over the tyres’ lifetime.”
Safety is another key benefit. Around one in three company cars is involved in an accident each year and the Department for Transport estimates that, each year, between 800 and 1000 people are killed in road traffic accidents while driving for work. Business drivers are 30 to 40 per cent more likely to be involved in a collision than private drivers.
Safety is assessed for the new labels in terms of grip in wet conditions. The difference between each category is an additional three to six metres braking distance from 50mph to 12.5mph.
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