Vehicle technology firm claims driving data can cut fuel bills 20 per cent

UK companies could save a total of £3.3bn a year through better driving techniques that reduce the fuel consumption and carbon emissions from vans and lorries, according to research to be released later today by vehicle technology firm Lysanda.

The research found that access to accurate driving data can encourage the least efficient motorists to improve their driving techniques, cutting firms' fuel bills by up to 20 per cent a year.

"Better fleet monitoring offers an easy win for many British businesses," said Lysanda chief executive Alex Willard. "Massive savings can be made by using available technology to assist companies in reducing fuel and other vehicle costs."

Lysanda provides technology that calculates the energy used and emissions produced by a vehicle, providing real-time feedback to the driver and storing data for fleet managers to analyse.

The research comes just weeks after the government launched a new Van Best Practice initiative, designed to provide firms with guidance on how to reduce the emissions of their fleets.

It recommends accurate measurement of journeys and fuel use, changing driving habits, cutting unnecessary journeys, and undertaking measures to avoid congestion.

It also highlighted how driving at a steady speed, turning the engine off in a stationary vehicle, selecting the right gear and keeping tires pumped up can all lead to improved vehicle performance and lower emissions.

The Department for Transport estimated that an overall improvement in vans' fuel efficiency of five per cent would save around businesses £250m per year, reducing carbon emissions by three quarters of a million tonnes.

In an interview with Businessgreen.com last year, logistics provider DHL said that installing more accurate fuel gauges, hedge-buying fuel when prices are low, and switching to electric vehicles were all helping to reduce its carbon footprint.