Check how your vehicles are being used
Review logbooks and travel records. If you’re not keeping records already this is a good opportunity to start.
- Measure how much fuel you’re using now, to make a baseline to improve from.
- Look for opportunities to optimise journeys. Analyse your trips to find more efficient routes and identify where deliveries could be made together.
- Consider tech to monitor your fleet. There are tools available like smartphone apps and dashcams that track speed, fuel, and driving habits. This helps you improve efficiency and safety.
- Safety and efficiency go hand in hand. Encourage driving at average speeds. Heavy vehicles use 9 to 20% less energy to travel at 90km/h than 100km/h.
Save fuel and emissions when you make deliveries
Transport is a key area for energy use for businesses and New Zealand as a whole. Small tweaks here will really add up with every delivery you make.
Steps for saving fuel
- Identify areas for improvement. Think of everything you send. What uses the most fuel? It’s probably things that you send a lot of, are heavy, go a long way, or use high-emission types of transport like air freight.
- Talk to your freight suppliers. Ask if they’re planning low-emissions delivery options, like electric or more fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Work on high-impact areas. Focus on things that make the most difference and use the least fuel:
- Choose low-emission freight suppliers if you can. Air freight produces the most emissions. Road freight comes next. Shipping and rail produce the least.
- Work with your customers to see if you can send larger but fewer deliveries.
- Try to make your supply chains as direct as possible.
- Innovate your products to be more efficient. When you next update your products or packaging, consider if they could be smaller or lighter.
Once you’ve made progress, show you're making a difference. Publicise your transport changes to strengthen your brand.
Work with your suppliers to reduce fuel costs and emissions
Think about how you could work with your suppliers. You may be able to identify opportunities to lower costs for transporting the inventory you need.
You could explore:
- Buying from local suppliers.
- Making fewer but larger orders. Check how changing order size and frequency will affect your cash flow and logistics.
- Working on high-impact areas, for example things that are heavy or ship from far away.
Your suppliers may be trying to lower their costs and emissions too. Changes you’ve trialled in your business could also work for them. Ask if they’re planning low-emissions delivery options, like switching to more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Switch to electric vehicles
Upgrade to electric to save on fuel and maintenance costs, and reduce your carbon emissions. You’ll find several electric options from small to mid-sized vans, all the way up to electric trucks.
Making the switch could help you:
- Save money - electric vehicles are cheaper to operate and maintain. It’s the equivalent of buying fuel at about 30 cents per litre and you have more certainty about price.
- Make a statement - show customers and staff you’re invested in running an efficient business.
- Provide a comfortable fleet - electric vehicles are often quieter, smoother and easier to drive.
Replacing vehicles sooner might save you money in the long run
Compare the cost of running and maintaining your current vehicles with similar electric vehicles. You might be better off switching to electric sooner, instead of waiting to replace your existing vehicles.
How to switch to electric vehicles
If you’re thinking about switching to electric vehicles, here are the first steps you need to take.
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Assess if electric works for you
Review the kilometres your vehicles usually travel each day and the furthest they need to go. Electric vans have a range of up to 400km per charge, and electric trucks can offer a range of 350km or more per charge.
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Check how much you could save by switching to electric
The cost of charging an electric vehicle is about 20% the cost to fuel a petrol or diesel-powered one. Maintenance costs can also be lower for electric vehicles, saving you more over the life of the vehicle.
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Decide whether to own or lease vehicles
Leasing instead of owning could offer lower set up costs and save you money.
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Talk to your drivers to understand their needs
Explain why you’re switching. Organise test drives with your local electric vehicle dealer so they’ll experience the benefits first-hand. Train your staff to drive efficiently and safely. Provide guidelines on charging your vehicles, especially for long trips.
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