Speaking at the LowCVP’s Annual Conference in London, the minister explained that the scheme is expected to tackle one of the most problematic barriers to operators considering adopting cleaner, more fuel-efficient retrofit truck technology – the lack of independent testing and verification.
“We are always looking at new ways to make the vehicles on our roads cleaner and this new scheme will help the freight industry to embrace the latest technology,” said Jones.
“The UK’s low-emission vehicle industry is a huge success story and a source of strength in our economy. This is further proof that the government is leading the way as global demand for these vehicles grows.”
LowCVP’s partners have developed what they describe as an “accurate, reproducible and representative procedure” for measuring the efficacy of fuel-efficiency interventions on trucks and vans.
The procedure enables equipment manufacturers and vehicle operators to conduct robust and reliable back-to-back tests to validate the impact on fuel consumption and emissions of retrofit technology.
Examples include low rolling resistance tyres and aerodynamic kit, as well as engine efficiency-enhancing technology.
As equipment is tested at MIRA and Millbrook, over the next few months, the partners intend to establish a ‘go-to’ database for detailed and comparative fuel-saving technology data by duty cycle.
The scheme is also intended to provide practical information on the operational characteristics of any submitted technology, enabling operators better to gauge applicability.
The launch today is going down well with industry leaders and, in particular, organisations such as TfL’s (Transport for London) industry-led LoCity initiative, which aims to encourage uptake of low-emission trucks and vans in the capital.
“With a wide range of products and services on the market, all aiming to reduce vehicle emissions, it is difficult to know which are the most cost-effective for particular duty cycles,” comment Andrew Lowery, vice-chair of the LoCITY HGV working group.
“LoCITY therefore welcomes the launch of this technology certification scheme to help better inform fleet operators about how to reduce emissions, cut costs and improve air quality across London and beyond.”
And Brian Robinson, programme manger for commercial vehicles at LowCVP, adds: “This scheme will unlock the impasse in the market where truck operators to date have only had suppliers word for it that that their retrofit technology will save them fuel, money and emissions.”
Equipment, he says, will be fitted to donor vehicles equipped with tailpipe PEMS (portable emissions measurement system) and put through its paces on the test tracks at MIRA or Millbrook to deliver directly comparable fuel- and emissions-saving results for a range of relevant duty cycles.
Although suppliers will be required to fund accreditation, there may be scope for pump priming funds in the short term, although no announcements have yet been made. .
Developed with support from OLEV (the Office for Low Emission Vehicles) and DfT (Department for Transport ) and also drawing on European work on HGV carbon measurement, the scheme is being introduced following collaboration with partners including: Horiba Mira, Millbrook, TRL, Michelin, Stobart Group, Mercedes Truck, TfL and the Transport KTN (knowledge transfer network).
“Earlier work by the LowCVP identified that the absence of reliable, robust and accessible data was one of the most significant barriers to the adoption of low carbon and fuel saving technology in trucks,” comments LowCVP managing director Andy Eastlake.
“Thanks to the work of many key partners and supporters, we believe that this initiative will encourage the adoption of many positive innovations, saving carbon and costs, and can form the basis for further policy support in this vital road transport sector.”
“The work we have conducted with LowCVP has produced a test protocol that has proven to be robust, with excellent repeatability,” confirms David Blanchard, performance durability technical specialist at Horiba Mira.
“We are delighted that fleet operators now have an excellent tool to validate fuel saving technology, which we hope will lead to the faster adoption – ultimately leading to a reduction of tailpipe emissions on the UK’s roads.”
Commercial vehicles have been contributing a rising share of road transport emissions, according to government data, and now account for more than 30% of CO2 emissions from the sector. While emissions from HGVs are down by around 9% since 1990 (using 2014 figures), emissions from vans have grown by 48%.