Heavy-duty cargo vehicles could be more CO2-efficient in future years, study suggests
A complex study, unveiled at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Motor Show in Hanover (Germany), focuses on ways to reduce CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.
With European transport operators investing to reduce the environmental impact of heavy-duty vehicles, a complex ERTICO ITS Europe study comes to highlight a couple of ways to achieve better numbers in CO2 emissions. The study focuses on ways to improve heavy-duty business-related vehicles, such as heavy trucks and buses. Called ‘The scope of intelligent transport systems for reducing CO2 emissions and increasing safety of heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches’, the analysis was presented at this year’s IAA Commercial Vehicle Motor Show, held in Hanover (Germany).
Some of the problem areas
Data shows that pollution caused by transport fuels can be handled better, not only by opting for a more efficient fuel. For instance, driver behavior is an important factor, as having a certain driving style can influence the amount of fuel consumed during a typical cargo run. Also, new vehicles are better than older ones when it comes to fuel efficiency. A better infrastructure is also important and so are ‘Intelligent Transport Systems’.
What are ITSs?
Regarded as means to improve transport worldwide, Intelligent Transport Systems (or ITSs) comprise advanced digital applications, used to provide complex services for transport and traffic management. These ITSs also allow users to have better access to information, thus making more efficient decisions. Mobility management, traffic management and smart infrastructure are some of the key words associated with ITS.
Many improvements in heavy-duty transport
The ERTICO study identifies some of the ways that vehicles could become eco-friendly. For instance, simply driving in a different way, on non-urban roads, can reduce CO2 emissions by 7 to 10%. Efficiency of up to 25% is possible in some cases, for heavy-goods vehicles, when close to traffic junctions and signals, with no traffic congestion. Eco-routing is another means to reduce CO2, by anywhere between 4 and 12%, in urban areas, for freight transport. Even more, when traveling in groups, road vehicles can experience up to 16% lower CO2 emissions and between 1 and 8% for the lead vehicle. Other strategies relate to the Energy Efficient Intersection Service (traffic lights stay green longer for trucks and buses), delivery space booking, Intelligent Truck Parking systems and Eco-ramp metering for motorway access (which offers vehicles more time on green lights when entering motorways).
Pollution increased, but it’s being handled
Other studies and official statistics show that trucks, buses and coaches generate about 25% of all CO2 emissions in the European Union. From 1990 to 2010, pollution increased by 36%, mainly because of the increase in road freight traffic. However, several EU initiatives aim to reduce these numbers below the levels registered in 1990, by the year 2050.
More on the IAA
The IAA Commercial Vehicle Motor Show, or the ‘Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung’ is considered the world’s largest automotive-related event. This gathering of industry leaders has been taking place almost every year since its debut in 1897. This year, the IAA began on September 22nd and finished on the 29th. The event is a two-part show, with passenger vehicles in odd years and commercial vehicles in even years. The first is held in Frankfurt, while the second takes place in Hanover (both in Germany).
