| Fuel Type |
About |
Pros |
Cons |
Applicability |
Other comments |
|---|
| Diesel |
The standard fuel and engine type |
- Cheap and reliable trucks
- Widely available
- Standard for all trucks
|
- High fuel costs
- High exposure to rising fuel costs
- High emissions of greenhouse gases and particulates
|
- Effective for the vast majority of operations
|
|
| Biofuels |
- Ethanol based—alcohol derived from sugar cane or other plant material
- Biodiesel—made from vegetable oil or animal fat
|
- Lower greenhouse gas and particulate emissions compared to diesel
- Can be often used by a standard truck.
|
- Use can sometimes void vehicle warranties
- Certain types of biofuels may generate greater greenhouse gas emissions than diesel when production is taken into account
|
- Can be used in most standard diesel engines in limited proportions without the need for additional equipment
|
Consult manufacturer before use as upper limits for blends are often specified |
| LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) |
- Limited application in trucks to date but some OEM models becoming available.
|
- Cheaper than diesel
- Can offer improved operating costs in the long term
- Very low particulate and visible pollution—good for city air quality.
|
- Hardware costs are generally higher
- Fuel efficiency not as good as diesel
- Require frequent refuelling
- May not always offer a big improvement in greenhouse gas emissions.
|
- May be useful for transport operations involving short distance driving (e.g. urban deliveries), or in conventional transport operations if used as a diesel hybrid
|
LPG and CNG are generally not available as standard options from manufacturers and need to be fitted as an aftermarket feature |
| Electric |
- Run from energy stored in rechargeable battery packs
|
- Potentially zero emissions if from a renewable source
|
- Expensive
- Require frequent recharging (range is approx 200km)
- Debatable environmental benefits if charged using coal-sourced electricity
|
- Currently being trialled in several cities
|
|
| Hybrid Electric |
- Combine conventional propulsion system with on- board rechargeable battery
- Is essentially an economy measure as it can be used with any fuel types
- OEM available hybrids use diesel.
|
- Better fuel economy than conventional engine (use 10—14% less fuel)
|
- Expensive
- Negligible benefit for open- road driving
|
- Local pickup and delivery environment (i.e. stop- start driving)
|
Becoming more cost effective
Important to maintain at an accredited dealer/service centre
Driver training also require |
