Bridgestone’s full-service tyre and fleet management proposition for van fleets

Duravis Van tyres offer savings

Van fleets are also exploring more ways to balance the books against a challenging economic backdrop, and Bridgestone offers one of its “most advanced tyre products,” which it says could help them save thousands of pounds per year. The Bridgestone Duravis Van tyre simultaneously offers downtime minimisation and a contribution to a lower cost of ownership for the vehicle. 2022 tests carried out by independent testing organisation TÜV SÜD show that the Duravis Van offered best-in-class mileage versus its premium brand competitors for extended tyre life as well as best-in-class dry and wet braking performances. It also achieves the highest EU label rating for wet grip, helping to keep drivers safe on the road, even in challenging wet-weather conditions.

Bridgestone’s consumer sales director Brett Emerson said: “The Duravis Van tyre provides so many tangible benefits to van fleets and van drivers, including cost, convenience, and incredible longevity. The Duravis Van tyre is the result of many pioneering technologies including the innovative and sustainable Enliten technology. This set of technologies provide best-in-class tyre performance, while delivering sustainability benefits thanks to the tyre’s best-in-class mileage and increased fuel/energy efficiency.”

The Bridgestone Duravis Van tyre is suited to both Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and electric vehicles (EV), helping to optimise their performance. Specifically for EV drivers, the Bridgestone Duravis Van’s higher wear tolerance counters the increased weight and higher torque of EVs, while its low rolling resistance saves battery life.

Bridgestone commissioned an independent study with Warwick Business School to show their impact on carbon emissions and cost savings. The Duravis Van, which boasts an EU label grade B for rolling resistance, was benchmarked against grade D alternatives, with all comparison data sourced from UK Government sources, the Department for Transport, DVLA, and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The study factored in fuel prices and forecasted future fuel price rises, with DfT and DVLA data referenced to calculate the number of vans currently on UK roads.

It concluded that 95.85 litres of petrol could be saved per year when operating on a Duravis Van tyre compared to a D-rated alternative, equating to savings of 80.79 litres in diesel and 373.12 kWh per year for EV vans.

The research showed that because the tyre also offers greater longevity than grade-D alternatives, costs are also reduced through fewer annual replacements. For van fleets of five vehicles, overall savings amounted to around £895 per year and for a fleet of 100 vehicles, the figure extrapolates to £17,9004.

Bridgestone Duravis Van (Photo: Bridgestone)

Compared to its predecessor, the Duravis R660, the Bridgestone Duravis Van delivers a 21 per cent improvement in rolling resistance, securing an EU label Grade B for rolling resistance in most sizes. This means greater fuel/energy efficiency, which translates to enhanced fuel savings or extended battery range for businesses.

The tyre also comes equipped with a Sidewall Protector Rib, which ensures that the product can withstand kerbside damage, which represents an occupational hazard for van drivers.

It complements the Duravis All Season tyre, Bridgestone’s first-ever all-season tyre for the light truck segment. Engineered to last with a robust and durable construction, the tyre offers improved wear performance and reduced downtime periods. The tyre also has best-in-class EU label A-grade for wet grip and 3PMSF certification, demonstrating the tyre’s snow and cold weather performance achieved via Bridgestone’s new nano-selective compound mixing technology for better silica dispersion in Bridgestone’s Nano Pro-tech compound.