Energy use of company cars

Erna Schol and Richard Smokers, Netherlands Energy Research Foundation

Keywords

Abstract

We have estimated the potential for energy saving which can be achieved by fleet owners who allow the energy efficiency of company cars to play a decisive role in their purchasing decisions. To this end five real fleet cases have been studied. The passenger cars in those fleets have been categorized with the help of a classification system based upon a combination of purchase price and engine power. With this system commercially available passenger cars have been divided into five categories of vehicle types comparable with respect to performance, status and level of comfort. If in each class all vehicles would be replaced by the most efficient car type in that class, the average energy saving for the five fleets is estimated at some 5%. If in each class only those vehicles are replaced which have higher ammal capital costs than the most efficient one, we still find a potential energy saving of almost 4 % , which in this case is accompanied by a significant reduction of both fuel and capital costs. Fleet owners are either not aware of the fact that energy saving can be cost effective, or have other less rational arguments for not buying the most energy efficient cars among those available. Information campaigns or tax incentives might stimulate fleet owners to realixe the assessed potential for energy saving.