Vehicle Performance
Vehicle performance and mileage – what is the correlation? It is a very popular concept to measure vehicle wear with personal odometer, but is it really effective? Some experts disagree. In fact, many experts will protest that the real indicators of vehicle performance have nothing to do with driving distance, especially fleet trucks.
For many vehicle managers, truck performance measurement plays a central role in replacement strategies, preventive maintenance plans, utilization decisions, and overall vehicle cost of ownership calculations. In addition, many vehicle managers operate with the replacement policy of specific years or mileage, so the importance of measuring truck performance becomes more important. So, what is the best indicator?
Many engineers emphasize that the most effective way to measure vehicle performance is to look at one of two methods: engine operating time or the amount of fuel burned for a period of time. When the engine is idling, the wear of a vehicle consuming 1 gallon of fuel is equivalent to that of driving 30 miles. Therefore, we do not measure specific factors per mile, but measure by time. In order to give analysts a better understanding of higher cost locations and trucks, we use another method to analyze the fleet.
Vehicles with special application requirements(for example, vehicles equipped with power take-off devices) need to be continuously charged to operate. On the contrary, this requires more idle time, which is not expressed in terms of Meggina utilization rate. Laziness will consume up to 1 gallon of fuel per hour, causing engine wear every hour. Therefore, preventive maintenance should use the same measurement method to better ensure the function of the engine and fuel system.
At present, some vehicle managers may feel this is a bit worrisome. Especially if their truck is actually idling. More revolutions per hour means more maintenance. More maintenance means higher costs to maintain the truck and maintain overall performance. But there is a simple solution. Purchasing an auxiliary power unit(APU) can reduce a considerable part of idling and costs. Take the HP 2000 as an example. The HP 2000 not only eliminates the need for truck engines to idle, but also reduces fuel costs by 90%. It has an idle reduction system that consumes 1/10 gallon of fuel per hour on average. Most importantly, it is quiet, light and small, and can cope with the extreme temperature and harsh conditions that drivers must face every day.
But all in all, measuring vehicle performance allows team managers to better understand usage and decide whether changes are needed. Distance may be best suited for measuring many vehicle analyses, but time is an important part of ensuring full visibility into all aspects of vehicle maintenance and measurement. If it scares you for a few hours, expect the reliability of the HP2000.