FUEL LEARNING CURVE FOR MANY FLEETS NEXT YEAR

An acceleration of the fuel learning curve is in prospect for many fleet managers over the next year as a wider choice of vehicles offering different fuel types make their way onto the market, says Arval. Shaun Sadlier, Head of Consulting, said that fleet decision makers were now facing a new world where they need to become proficient in matching fuel types to specific needs.

“The dominance of diesel is coming to an end. We are in a situation where the fleet of the very near future is likely to consist of a wide fuel mix to meet specific driver and business needs.

“This places the fleet decision maker in a situation where they need to be able to look at established fuel types such as petrol and diesel alongside newer technologies like hybrids and electric vehicles, and be able to make a credible decision about which works for which driver in which application.

“Making these calls and constructing appropriate choice lists is not always easy and, for many, there will be quite a steep learning curve as they get to grips with a changing fleet fuels scenario. That is why we introduced our SMaRT methodology. The will is definitely there to move to greener vehicles but businesses need help with this transition”

Shaun said with the choice of ultra low emission vehicles growing all the time, it was not just a question of deciding whether a driver should be using a plug in hybrid or a petrol car for example, but being able to identify the advantages of specific models.

“Also, especially when it comes to PHEVs and EVs, the technology is moving quite quickly and they may need visibility of the models on the horizon, as well as those currently available.” Shaun added that his team at Arval were spending more time working alongside fleet decision makers to help them make the choices which meet their current needs, but which are also fit for the future.

“We have developed strong expertise within Arval Consulting along with a range of tools and processes to underpin it, and we’re investing a lot of time to make sure we’re as up to date as possible when it comes to the rapidly changing fuels situation.

“Even for people as well-briefed as our experts, constructing choice lists that meet the priorities of individual businesses is not easy because the situation is changing. But what these options bring is the potential for creating better outcomes than ever before and that makes it an exciting time to be working in the fleet industry.”