eavier lorries or fuel savings

20th October 1978, Page 21

20th October 1978

Page 21

Page 21, 20th October 1978 — eavier lorries or fuel savings

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Keywords : Alternative Propulsion, Energy, Sustainability, Electrification, Technology, Fuel Economy In Automobiles, Fuel Efficiency, Diesel Engine, Truck, Electric Vehicle, London Low Emission Zone, Environment, Business / Finance

EAVIER lorries and better traffic management schemes have een called for in an official report to Energy minister Tony Benn, The Advisory Council on Energy Conservation, which issued its first report earlier this year (CM April 14), has said that goods vehicle efficiency has been hindered by the 32-ton-gvw limit.

It says that traffic management schemes intended to reduce congestion, or giving freight vehicles priority in urban areas, will help save fuel, but it is critical of lorry routes which cause extra fuel to be burnt.

"It is important that the energy penalties inherent in such measures should be given due weight along with the environmental aspects when de cisions on these matters are made."

ACEC echoes the Lorries and the Environment Committee call (CM October 6) for a switch to be made to diesel rather than petrol engines in tight vans, which operate around half of total freight mileage in this country.

It accepts that diesel vans cost more, and that there are not enough light diesel engines being made in this country, but it believes that more favourable rates of duty could help overcome such obstacles.

The council acknowledges Government statistics which forecast freight vehicle mileage increases of between 60 and 105 per cent by 2005, and says that some effects of this increase could be countered if fuel consumption productivity is improved. Electric vehicles are still regarded as "inevitable" but not until sometime in the next century, if even then.

It assumes that these will be powered by electricity generated by nuclear, solar, wind, wave, or geothermal methods.

Once again, it has called for early steps to be made in researching electric traction, and for road transport says this should be concentrated on battery development, battery charging and/or replacement systems in place of petrol filling stations, means of producing syncrude (oil derived from coal), and electric pickup systems for road vehicles.

eavier lorries or fuel savings

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