Good tyre maintenance can save truckers up to €8,000 per vehicle per year - Volvo

ERJ staff report (DS)

Hällered, Sweden --  A fuel economy test by Volvo Trucks shows that tyres make a difference. The test, conducted with support from Michelin, showed that having the right tyres, tyre pressure and wheel alignment can reduce fuel consumption - and therefore CO2 emissions - by up to 15 percent. The comapny added in a 2 Jan press release, "If the environmental incentive is not enough, in financial terms that could be a saving up to €8,000 per vehicle per year."

Arne-Helge Andreassen, business area manager for tyres and wheel alignment at Volvo Trucks' Aftermarket department, said, "There is a lack of awareness in the transport industry about the importance of checking tyres and wheel alignment, on both the truck and the trailer."

In a two-week long, 1,000km test, a rig with optimal tyres, tyre pressures and wheel alignment was compared with a vehicle featuring different wheel alignments and tyre parameters. "All the conditions tested were realistic, and no exaggerations were allowed," says Andreassen. "Real life is bad enough. Diesel consumption increases dramatically if the wheels are not entirely parallel. And this applies to all vehicles, for construction and long-haul operations too."

Analysis of the test results reveals that there can be a difference of as much as 14.5 per cent in fuel consumption depending on how the wheels are aligned and equipped. Choice of tyre can cut consumption by as much as 11 per cent; correct tyre inflation brings a reduction of 1 per cent, while proper wheel alignment can cut fuel consumption by 2.5 per cent. 

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Press release from Volvo Trucks