Aerodynamics more important than load for van CO2 emissions
Friday 25 June 2010 Back to Blog
Van leasing customer hoping to do their bit for the environment will be interested to know carrying a light load may not be as beneficial as they might think.
Carrying a lighter weight has long been thought of one of the best ways to cut down on CO2 emissions while also saving some cash due to a lower fuel consumption rate.
While this may be true to an extent, new research has found it is not the most important factor in reducing the carbon footprint.
A study by environmental consultancy AEA and commissioned by the Department for Transport reveals that reducing loads leads to a relatively minor reduction in CO2, release-news.com reports.
"In our test we found that a fully-loaded van weighs 50 percent more than the same van carrying no load at all. However, CO2 only went up by approximately 7.8 percent on the combined cycle," AEA project manager John Norris told the news provider.
Aerodynamics was found to be much more important, with a medium-sized van producing up to 40 per cent more CO2 than a small vehicle.
A recent study by Transport & Environment recommended reducing the engine size of vans as the best way to cut carbon emissions.