Low viscosity lubrication: The simple, controllable and not-so-secret switch that can keep your fleet competitive
It’s no secret that fuel comprises roughly 55% of an average fleet’s total operating budget, just as it’s no secret that all fleet operators are focused on reducing their total cost of ownership (TCO) in any way they can.1 Why then, is the impact that lubrication can have on fuel consumption – and therefore TCO – seem a mystery that only the leading fleet operators have managed to solve?
That’s the impression given by recent North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) data anyway, which clearly shows that lower viscosity engine oils are one of the top three most widely adopted fuel saving techniques of leading US fleet companies.1 Alongside other efficiencies, this allows these market leaders to pull away from the average, over-the-road tractor fuel economy of 6.24mpg to an increased 7.23mpg.1 Meanwhile, those fleets that do not employ similar practices are missing out on the opportunity to reduce costs by roughly $5,000 per truck.1
The lessons to learn from leading operators
The NACFE Industry benchmarking tool reveals the work being done by leading fleets in the areas of chassis; powertrain; tractor and trailer aerodynamics; idling; wheels; and operating practices. However, it is lubrication that crosses a number of these categories – notably, chassis and powertrain. For example, 96% are adopting automated manual transmissions, which require a synthetic gear oil for fuel economy and long-drain reasons, while 100% are adopting synthetic axle oils.1 Likewise, 91% are adopting 10W-30 low viscosity engine oils, with 39% going one step further by adopting FA-4 super high efficiency 10W-30 or 5W-30 engine oils.
When added up, these figures create a picture of leading operators not only identifying, but taking advantage of, the benefits that low viscosity lubricants can deliver throughout the entire operating system. Benefits which are enabled by oils that are thin enough to reduce flow resistance and friction, making it easier for the lubricant to be pushed throughout the system, while still providing the protection, efficiency and performance needed to operate within today’s harsh operating environment.
Changing your lubricant can be a simple task – even across a large fleet. Simply do so during your regular service and then reap the rewards as the lower drag of your new, low viscosity oil allows for greater fuel economy. With no need for costly driver training or complex performance measurement, changing oil is a simple, controllable, and effective way to reduce fuel usage across your fleet.
Responses to the State of Sustainable Fleets survey indicate that small fleets likely have the most to gain from adopting vehicle efficiency technologies and practices. Nearly 70% percent of fleets with more than 1,000 vehicles used efficiencies in the last two years.2 By contrast, only 42% of fleets with fewer than 1,000 vehicles report use of these efficiencies in the annual survey.2 Whereas cost and access can be significant barriers to clean fuel adoption for some fleets, efficiency investments offer a cost-effective and accessible path to emissions reductions.
Revolutionising the Class 8 truck sector
The NACFE data demonstrates the advantage of combining a range of efficiency-saving technologies and practices. A marginal gains approach that is perhaps best embodied by the Starship Initiative – a hyper-aerodynamic, super fuel efficient, heavy-duty concept truck designed and built by Shell Lubricant Solutions and Shell Technology Teams. The second iteration thus far, Starship 2.0 brings together the best of today’s existing and custom technologies to explore just how energy efficient road transport can be for goods.
Following in the footsteps of its predecessor Starship 1.0, which shattered efficiency records in 2018, Starship 2.0 was tested on the same coast-to-coast route but with an increased average speed and heavier payload of 23.55 tons. The truck was equipped with everything from a carbon fibre cab to integrated truck skirt engine heat extractors, a fuel-efficient tyre setup and new drive train configuration, alongside advanced Shell lubricant technologies for on-highway fleets in the form of:
- Shell Rotella T6
- Shell Spirax S6 GXME 75W-80 transmission fluid
- Shell Rotella ELC coolant
- Shell Gadus S5 V220 2 chassis grease
- Shell Spirax S6 GME 40 wheel hub oil
All of which combined to deliver levels of efficiency that – if every truck in the US could achieve – would reduce on-highway trucking emissions by approximately 71.5%.3 That is equivalent to the avoidance of 275 million tons of CO2 emissions each year.2
While these headline figures are attention-grabbing to say the least, the key takeaway here is that Starship demonstrates in microcosm what is possible when the full mosaic of available solutions is fully leveraged in tandem – as is reflected by NACFE’s Annual Fleet Fuel Study findings.
How to navigate through change
So, when it comes to improving the fuel efficiency of your fleet, there shouldn’t be any secret to it – especially in regards to choosing a low viscosity oil. However, rather than simply keeping up with the competition, why not consider reaching out to a lubrication expert that can help you become the competition?
Shell is a technology leader in this space and can work with you to introduce the latest products to your fleet, so you can meet today’s performance and regulatory requirements. And with dedicated, experienced, local account managers and technical, cross-market experts, you can be sure you’re getting advice that is tailored to your needs.
Disclaimers:
1 North American Council for Freight Efficiency. “2022 Annual Fleet Fuel Study (PDF).” 2022.
2 Gladstein, Neandross & Associates. “The State of Sustainable Fleets.” 2023.
3 Shell. “Shell Starship Initiative – Accelerating towards a carbon neutral future.” 2022.
The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this article “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this article refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as “joint ventures” and “joint operations”, respectively. “Joint ventures” and “joint operations” are collectively referred to as “joint arrangements”. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as “associates”. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.
Shell’s Net-Zero Emissions Target
Shell’s operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, they reflect our Scope 1, Scope 2 and Net Carbon Intensity (NCI) targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plans cannot reflect our 2050 Net-zero emissions target and 2035 NCI target, as these targets are currently outside our planning period. In the future, as society moves towards Net-Zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans to reflect this movement. However, if society is not Net-Zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.
Cautionary Note
Cautionary Note
The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this content “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this content refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.
Forward-Looking statements
This content contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’; “aspire”, “aspiration”, ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this content, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this content are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F and amendment thereto for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this content and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this content. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this content.
Shell’s net carbon intensity
Also, in this content we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.
Shell’s net-zero emissions target
Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.
Forward-Looking non-GAAP measures
This content may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as adjusted earnings and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.
The contents of websites referred to in this content do not form part of this content.
We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this content that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F and any amendment thereto, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.
