Volatile fuel prices: Why data on resilience in fleet operations matter

Geopolitische Spannungen setzen Flottenbetriebe immer wieder unter Kostendruck. Zu Beginn des Ukraine-Kriegs 2022 führten die stark steigenden Strompreise in Europa dazu, dass der Betrieb von Elektrofahrzeugen in einzelnen Märkten zeitweise teurer war als Diesel oder Benzin. Vier Jahre später hat sich die Dynamik erneut verschoben. Die aktuelle Lage im Nahen Osten beeinflusst die Kraftstoffmärkte spürbar: Benzinpreise in Europa sind seit Jahresbeginn durchschnittlich um 17 Prozent gestiegen, während Dieselpreise sogar um 37 Prozent gestiegen sind – in einzelnen EU-Ländern sogar um einiges mehr. Für Flotten ergibt sich daraus eine zentrale Herausforderung: Kostensteigerungen sind nicht nur hoch, sondern vor allem volatil und schwer planbar.

Idle times as a cost factor in fleet operations: the example of trucks

The price development is now clearly reflected in the operating costs of fleets. New data from Geotab based on European commercial vehicles show: An average truck in Europe idles for 53 minutes per operating day – about 14.6 percent of the total engine running time. That amounts to about 67 liters per vehicle per month consumed while idle. At current fuel prices, that corresponds to around 142 euros per vehicle. That is already 38 euros more than at the beginning of the year. Extrapolated to fleet size, it quickly adds up: a 20-truck fleet now incurs around 2,840 euros in monthly idle costs, while the costs at the beginning of the year were around 2,080 euros. For large fleets, the costs are correspondingly significantly higher. The idle costs of a fleet of 1,000 trucks amount to about 142,000 euros per month at current fuel prices.

Idle times in fleet operation cannot be completely avoided—they are necessary, for example, for cooling units, hydraulic systems, or climate control in the vehicle. However, a relevant share arises from processes that are fundamentally optimizable. The decisive factor is the distinction between operationally necessary and avoidable standstills. It is precisely here that transparency about operational data becomes essential: only when it is clear when and why vehicles idle can levers/controls for greater efficiency be identified.