Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg: Goodyear’s annual Sustainable Reality Survey shows that fleets in the UK and Ireland are taking steps for a sustainable future. The 2023 edition is the third of its kind, and each year it aims to gain an understanding of how European fleets are driving sustainability in the transport and logistics sector, as well as examining the key barriers.
Among fleets in the UK and Ireland, the importance of sustainability is as high as their European counterparts, with 83% of fleets recognising the impact not only on the environment, but also for their overall operation and bottom line. This compares to nearly three-quarters of surveyed European fleets (68%) which consider sustainability as either ‘important’ or ‘very important’.
Meanwhile, 59% of UK and Irish fleets have formalised sustainability strategies and targets, compared to 33% of European fleets. 67% of fleets reported the active use of fuel-efficient tyres to boost efficiencies. If a 100-vehicle diesel-powered fleet switched to Goodyear Fuelmax Endurance tyres that can deliver a 2% improvement in rolling resistance1, the fleet would reduce its CO2 emissions by an estimated 100 tonnes and save 40,000 litres of fuel per year, Goodyear says.
Megafleets, defined as fleets with more than 500 vehicles, are the most likely to deploy sustainable strategies, with 83% of these fleets in the UK and Ireland using fuel-efficient tyres. Furthermore, 70% had sustainability KPIs in place, compared to just 43% of fleets with between one and 50 vehicles. However, results show that it remains a difficult climate to implement new, and often expensive, solutions. Over half of mid-sized fleets report cost as one of the key barriers.
“It’s clear from the survey results that fleets need assurances when it comes to making investments,” explains Maciej Szymański, marketing director, commercial Europe, Goodyear. “The main wish from fleets is that solutions will lead to meaningful improvements in sustainability, and positively impact the bottom line. With Goodyear Total Mobility and its range of commercial vehicle tyres, we have an end-to-end solution that provides proven results every time.”
The survey found that 70% of megafleets use fuel-efficient tyres to help them achieve their sustainability targets. That category also reported the highest use of retreaded tyres, too. In general, smaller fleets exploit these technologies less often, but could still have a significant impact on fleet profitability.
Across Europe, 56% of fleets use fuel-efficient tyres, with 42% reporting the use of retreaded tyres. Fleets that use the Goodyear retreading can cut overall tyre expenditure by 10% and extend tyre life by an additional 150%. While using existing resources as much as possible, Goodyear’s retreading process uses 56% less crude oil for manufacturing, it says.
“This year’s edition of the Goodyear Sustainable Reality Survey found that the popularity of using tyretechnology to increase efficiency correlates to the size of the fleet. This is likely due to the upfront cost of buying the best-in-class tyre. However, savings over the lifetime of the tyre add up, particularly when coupled to a technology like Goodyear Total Mobility that will maximise the product’s lifecycle and effectiveness,” Szymański says.
“The results from the survey are certainly positive, particularly in the UK and Ireland, with many fleets acknowledging the difference an exceptional tyre can make. Excellent tires provide a business with instant improvements in efficiency, and well-maintained tyres can last thousands of miles further. Goodyear has both the products and solutions that help fleets maximise the efficiency and life of their tyres, whether it’s with automated monitoring systems or state-of-the-art algorithms that inform managers of issues before they lead to avoidable downtime.”
