By Raymond Abraham, Shell South Africa’s commercial technical manager

With increasing economic pressure, such as escalating rates and inflation, fuel economy remains a key business challenge in South Africa across a number of sectors.

For the trucking and transportation industry, the need for enhanced fuel economy is particularly significant.

Fuel can account for a large portion of a fleet business’s operating costs. So, minimising fuel consumption can help improve the operating efficiency of a fleet and the return on its investment.

There is also a growing focus on using energy more responsibly in the drive to reduce fuel consumption. Changes in legislation and new emission standards are putting pressure on vehicle manufacturers to improve fuel efficiency and reduce fuel related emissions.

Besides reducing and controlling operational maintenance costs, improved fuel economy can also mean less fuel-related vehicle exhaust CO₂ emissions. This can help fleet operators reduce the environmental impact of their operations.

As a global leader in the development of fuel-efficient engine oils, and the world’s number one lubricants supplier, Shell continues to create state-of-the-art solutions that can offer tangible benefits to its customers, both for their vehicles and their business.

In order to achieve these energy savings and fuel economy benefits, Shell has developed a range of synthetic lubricants. These are made from synthetic base oils and additives that are engineered to meet today’s demanding specifications. One of the latest synthetic product offering for heavy-duty diesel vehicles, Shell Rimula R6 LME engine oil, represents one of the company’s most advanced fuel economy technology to date.

Shell Rimula R6 LME has been developed specifically for heavy-duty diesel trucks and bus fleets in close cooperation with leading engine and vehicle manufacturers.

Recently, Shell Rimula R6 LME was approved for MAN to meet the MAN M 3677 oil specification, suitable for its Euro 6 engines. This approval from MAN is the latest from a number of leading OEMs, including Mercedes-Benz and Volvo.

With enhanced adaptive synthetic technology, Shell Rimula R6 LME is formulated to offer enhanced wear protection, outstanding piston cleanliness and fuel savings, no matter what the driving conditions. The higher oxidation stability obtained from synthetic oils helps extend the oil life and prevents the formation of sludge and deposits, keeping components cleaner. This enables fleet operators to optimise and extend their oil drain intervals with the confidence that the equipment will be protected for the entire period.

This leads to an improvement in fuel economy of up to 2% (over a 100 000 km oil drain interval, compared with a typical 10W-40 oil).

Daimler set up the Record Run 2011 to demonstrate the fuel efficiency of its new Mercedes-Benz Actros Euro V and Euro VI trucks. A regular transport company journey in steady traffic conditions from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Szczecin in Poland and back was repeated seven times.

During the 10 000 km journey, three trucks ­– the then current Actros Euro V as well as the new Actros Euro VI and the new Actros Euro V – were exclusively fuelled with Shell FuelSave Diesel and lubricated with Shell Rimula R6 LME engine oil.

The use of both products helped to achieve fuel savings of 7.6% for the new Actros Euro V and of 4.5% for the new Actros Euro VI compared with the current Actros Euro V, which had already established a Guinness World Record in 2008 for truck fuel efficiency.

The decision to invest in the appropriate quality lubricants for your fleet can assist in the running of a smooth and reliable business. Using high-quality lubricants can undoubtedly have an impact in extending vehicle life, lowering fuel bills, reducing maintenance costs and increasing vehicle availability, helping you keep your fleet on the road for longer.