Selecting The Best Fuel Type For Your Business Fleet
Whether you’re a small fleet making local deliveries, or a huge company making pickups and dropoffs from coast to coast, it’s important to get the most out of your fuel and mileage. For fleet managers everywhere, finding the best fuel source is one of the most crucial components of effective fleet management. Even if you’re doing your best to save money by using fuel cards, it’s always best to have a thorough knowledge of the different fuel types on offer so you can make sure that you’re getting the best value for your money. Before choosing the best fuel card for your business, always research a few different companies and visit their website to see what kind of fuel type is going to serve your particular fleet best. Even if you know exactly what each car needs, it still helps to research the right octane and additives to make sure each car is getting its best shot at a clean, healthy engine. If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few ways to figure out what fuel source is best for you and your fleet.
High-Performing Fuel for High Mileage
While most cars don’t depend on premium or high-performing fuel to get the job done, fleet cars and trucks are another matter. Since many fleets depend on the act of “lifecycling” to keep everything running smoothly, the kind of gas you put in your vehicle each time matters. While some conventional fuel types, for instance, don’t help to protect or clean out an engine for long-term use, other fuel types are known for actually preserving an engine so that it can keep performing at a high-quality rate for longer. If you’re used to keeping cars in the arsenal for longer, you might want to consider investing in a fuel card that allows you to fill fleet cars with premium-grade gas. This type of gas won’t just help you conserve fuel and get better mileage. It will actually help you keep your tank clean for longer. If your cars are all set up with routine maintenance checks after each job, you won’t have to worry about missing an engine check. However, if you’re dealing with older cars, it can help to invest in “clean” fuel that won’t prematurely gunk up your system.
Fuel That Protects Your Engine
Many premium fuel types advertise themselves as being safer for your car overall. While this is true in the case of pre-ignition, it might not apply when cars are actually on the road. Pre-ignition is the time before the engine catches when fuel and air combine to give your car the start it needs to get going. A premium gas that protects against premature sparking or fueling works as an extra safety feature to make sure your car doesn’t risk that kind of damage. Older sports cars may require this type of fuel, but many fleet cars aren’t at risk for pre-ignition and don’t need premium gas to perform better in the long run. What they do need, however, is the right octane when purchasing gas. If you invest in a low octane gas for a car that needs high octane, you can end up getting worse mileage on each trip. Knowing the right octane for each car in your fleet is important for making sure you’re actually saving money on each job. Regular gas is usually 85 or 87 octane, while premium fuel is around 91 to 93.
Helping Hybrids Perform with Additives
More and more fleets are beginning to turn to hybrids to replace older cars that have cycled out. While hybrids and self-driving cars are the future, it’s important to know what kind of mileage you’re getting out of each new purchase, as well as how much money you’re actually saving on fuel vs. electric. While pure plug-in electric cars can end up being limiting for a fleet, hybrids can be a perfect compromise. As long as you’re choosing the right octane and are powering up with fuel additives that actually work to clean the engine and help seal a leaky gasket, you’ll be helping your fleet perform better over time. Some of the best additives you can use for hybrids can help with keeping the engine clean without leaving any extra residue on critical parts of your engine’s interior. Choosing the right fuel and the right additive together can steadily increase the mileage you’re getting on each trip. Along with encouraging your drivers to practice safe, defensive driving with the help of GPS and monitoring technology, the right additives will help your fleet cut costs and perform better on the road.
