Slash fuel costs with a speed limiter & protect drivers

Fuel for thought: A speed limiter not only cuts bills but risks as well

Author:

ROBIN ROBERTS

A recent trial by telematics provider, Cobra UK, proves that a speed limiter can reduce fuel costs by nearly 40%, and help employers meet Duty of Care requirements by protecting their drivers.

In the independent test, Cobra achieved a 37% reduction in fuel use with its speed limiter; a figure which it believes could be further improved with a professional driver at the wheel.

Cobra’s speed limiter was restricted to 56mph and fitted to a 2.0 diesel Volkswagen Transporter Sportline van. Over a 260 mile trip on semi-urban parkways, city roads and motorways in the East Midlands, the van returned 43.91* miles per gallon. With the limiter removed and driving the identical route at usual motorway speeds, the fuel economy figure dropped to 32.01mpg.

This meant a fuel cost saving of £16.86 with the limiter fitted for this short trip alone, which could equate to an annual saving of £1,686 on a Transporter van covering 26,000 miles each year. Whatever your fleet size, this type of fuel saving cannot be ignored and should be a crucial consideration when looking at reducing whole life costs.

Protecting a driver while they are using a vehicle on company business is also paramount to any modern day company’s Health and Safety strategy, and a speed limiter goes some way to helping protect drivers’ licences, by reducing their speed and their chances of being involved in an accident.

Fleets will also benefit from lower emissions, as well as improved engine life. Restricting a light commercial vehicle to a maximum speed helps reduce the stress and strain on a vehicle’s engine, and given that many light commercials run on a double shift or seven days a week, a speed limiter can help protect the operator from expensive unplanned maintenance work.

Managing Director of Cobra UK, Andrew Smith, says: “Any light commercial that is regularly driving on motorways, dual carriageways and A and B roads should see an impressive reduction in fuel running costs. Our test shows a 37% reduction in fuel use at a restricted 56mph, but we estimate by setting the limiter at 70mph, operators will see a 15-20% reduction in fuel use.”

Speed limiters can be fitted to the majority of light commercials up to and including 3.5 tonnes and are programmable to 56mph, 60mph and 70mph. The limiter is compatible with Euro 4 and Euro 5 petrol and diesel engines, and comes with a two year parts warranty.

In a bid to highlight the benefits of speed limiters, Cobra is offering its speed limiter at a special price of just £249 including fitting, saving customers at least £50. The offer is restricted to light van fleets operating 25+ vehicles, and orders must be received by 5pm on 31 July 2012.

Technology can play a significant role in slashing pence per mile costs but good training is also vital and our company car driving advice is free.