Challenge
Bridgeforth Engineering Ltd is a family run business with factories in Fife and China, supplying quality precision machining solutions and project management services to the oil and gas industry. As part of a network of linked companies in Inverkeithing, Bathgate and Aberdeen, its vehicles clocked up an average 175,000 miles each year. Its three petrol-hybrid cars and two diesel-powered vans were responsible for nearly £32,000 per year in fuel and produced approximately 56 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). Bridgeforth Engineering invited Energy Saving Trust in to do a Sustainable Business Transport Review, as they were considering hiring an additional car, possibly a diesel hybrid.
Solution
The review recommended the use of Energy Saving Trust’s online Best in Class search tool which compares the efficiency of new and used cars registered since 2001. It also recommended FuelGood driver training, to help their drivers to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Financial advice was also provided. This included information on:
- the ChargePlace Scotland grant (which provides up to £10,000 to install electric vehicle charging points for workplaces)
- the UK Government’s Plug-in Car Grant (worth up to £5,000 off the retail price of an electric car)
- the Energy Saving Trust’s low carbon transport loan (which offers between £500 and £50,000 interest-free, over a repayment period of up to six years).
Result
The loan allowed Bridgeforth Engineering to buy a Volvo V60 plug-in diesel hybrid. The Volvo achieves 157 miles per gallon (mpg) compared with 47.6 mpg for the average executive vehicle, representing costs of £1,022 over 25,000 miles, compared with £3,496. Eight drivers received FuelGood driver training, achieving an average improvement in miles per gallon of 12.8 per cent. This equates to savings of £1,547 and almost 2.95 tonnes of CO2 per year. “The review proved extremely beneficial, offering guidance on funding available, how fuel efficiency could be achieved with the correct vehicle selection and providing driver training for our core company vehicle drivers.