Solar power seems like an obvious step — all of Earth’s energy, fundamentally, comes from the sun, it’s just that we’ve been extracting it from carbon-heavy sources for too long. Why not cut out the middle-man and just put the power of the sun straight into your car?

The Lightyear 0 is a partly-solar-powered car which its makers claim can top itself up each day thanks to massed ranks of solar cells spread across its roof and bonnet.

The product of six years of research and development, the Lightyear 0 features a series of curved solar panels on its roof and hood to complement a small 60 kWh battery. This combination gives the car an impressive 388 miles (ca. 624 km) of range, 44 miles (ca. 71 km) of which are derived from solar power alone, according to the company.

Essentially, then, the Lightyear 0 charges itself when exposed to the sun – meaning it can be driven for short distances (i.e. commutes of less than 44 miles) for months on end before needing to be plugged back into a traditional power source.

Will it work only in sun-heavy climates — LA and Sydney? No, says Lightyear. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam, and that’s the climate its figures are based on. In cloudy climates, based on the average commute of around 35 kilometers per day, you can drive for up to two months before you need to think about charging. In sunnier countries, that could be up to seven months. The company says its “patented, double curve solar arrays” are optimized to yield up to 11,000 km-worth of power every year.

The Lightyear is meant to be practical, too with an SUV-sized boot space of 640 liters (helped by it being a big car with a relatively small battery) and it’s not heavy, either — at 1,575 kg (claimed) it’s a touch lighter than Renault’s new all-electric Megane.

Lightyear says that the 0 will be an expensive car, relatively limited in its production run of just 946, and will cost €250,000 (plus local taxes). The good news is that Lightyear has plans for a vastly more-affordable follow-up model, the Lightyear Two, which is tentatively planned for production by 2025, and which could — if all the stars align for Lightyear — cost as little as €30,000

“Data is the new oil” is a common phrase among business leaders today. It’s more than a string of buzzwords, too, as digital data’s value continues to skyrocket and unlock new possibilities. Still, data won’t provide any value by itself. Companies have to know how to apply it. Fleet managers have much to gain from data if they leverage it correctly. Let’s check come possibilities: 

1. Planning More Efficient Routes

Route optimization is perhaps the most recognizable use case for data in fleet management. UPS has famously saved 100 million miles per year through ORION, its data-based route planning platform. Systems like ORION analyze real-time data to find the most efficient path, saving time, fuel, and money.

Fleets can gather data from GPS networks, transit authorities, weather systems, and other cars on the road. Analytics platforms can then use this data to provide a more accurate, timely picture of traffic and road conditions. Those insights help these systems find the best path forward, even when that’s not necessarily the shortest route by distance.

2. Predictive Maintenance

Maintenance is crucial for efficient fleet operation, and data can improve these processes, too. Internet of things (IoT) sensors can gather data on engine vibrations, temperatures, and other maintenance factors. They can then alert workers when the vehicle will need repair in a practice called predictive maintenance.

Vehicles can drive up to 100,000 miles before some maintenance is necessary, but others may not. It all depends on the specific factors at hand, which predictive maintenance accounts for. These data-centric repair practices offer the optimal balance between costs and vehicle safety.

3. Managing Fuel Costs

Fuel is often one of the highest expenses for vehicle fleets, and an effectively unavoidable one. Data from various sources can reveal paths to reduce fuel consumption and costs.

IoT and telematics tracking in trucks can reveal whether specific vehicles use more fuel than others. Fleet managers can then perform repairs to make them more fuel-efficient or replace them with newer, more economical alternatives. Similarly, data over time can highlight which routes lead to the highest diesel consumption, informing future route planning.

Currently, Link2Pump is an alternative that helps fleets managers to save fuel. You can improve delivery planning and fuel distribution management, saving money without losing effectiveness and deadlines.

4. Improving Customer Service

All of these data use cases will also help fleet managers improve their customer relationships. Each of these applications will reduce operating expenses and improve efficiency, which translates into lower costs and wait times for clients. Fleet managers will build a more satisfied and loyal client base as a result.

Link2Pump is a cloud-based fuel management system tailored for businesses pumping fuel from bulk storage tanks. By managing and automating the fueling process, fleet managers and business owners prevent fuel theft, simplify the entire reporting process and support decision-making with comprehensive data in real time.

We developed an innovative — yet simple — device that automates your fuel consumption and helps you control your fleet. Designed to automate fuel dispensers located in yards and garages (internal fueling), access to the system is completely web-based, meaning there’s no need to install software, and it can be used from any computer or smartphone. It’s a one-touch solution for monitoring fueling times, fuelings by vehicles, fueling volume, fueling agents, distance traveled by hours worked, average consumption and virtual storage in the tank. 

Our solutions

Link2Pump Pedestal automates the fueling process on-site, capturing data points you need and sending them to your online account in real-time. Account access is available from any device, anywhere, any time. Fully compatible with mechanical, digital and electronic dispensers, each unit controls up to 4 fueling points and features extensive data input options and restriction capabilities.

We also offer mobile applications that pack the same technological power from L2P Pedestal into a compact enclosure to fit fuel trucks, tanker trucks or any kind of mobile tanks. Whether used solo or combined with an L2P pedestal, filling up equipment out in the field is safely tracked in real-time, with in-unit and cloud backup for added security.

Therefore, you can improve delivery planning and fuel distribution management, saving money without losing effectiveness and deadlines.

Lifetime warranty

Our unique lifetime warranty protects your investment and eliminates unexpected expenses. We offer a hassle-free parts replacement policy, where servicing is simple and easy and can be done quickly by the customer, reducing down-time to a minimum.

Popular Integrations

Link2Pump also offers open API for seamless and free integration with 3rd party software. Your fuel transactions and tank inventory data in the L2P system can interface via web service with basically any software platform, such as fleet fuel cards, billing programs, fleet maintenance, telematics, and much more. You can also export to text and spreadsheet files.

Fuel tax refund

Link2Pump can easily track and reconcile all information needed for filing fuel tax refund claims with a one-click report. It is easy to save money with our service. The best part is that facilitating the tax refunds process is part of our service, and you don’t pay anything extra for it. So with Link2Pump you can automate your managing process, have up to 25% fuel saving plus 10 hours in time savings, and also have fuel tax refunds made easy.

Our company has solutions for several industries, such as agriculture, aviation, construction, government, marinas, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and utilities. If you are searching for alternatives to improve your productivity and bottom line, and want to learn more about our solution, please get in touch.

 

According to Fleet Management Global Market Report 2022, the fleet management market size is expected to grow from $14.15 billion in 2021 to $16.27 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.98%.

The growth in the market is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. 

As per TBRC’s fleet management market research, the market is expected to reach $30.80 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 17.31%. The increasing demand for commercial vehicles is expected to drive the fleet management market during the forecast period. 

Market Overview

• The fleet management solution (FMS) market primarily integrates software, hardware, connectivity solutions, and network infrastructure to offer effective monitoring and reporting systems for fleet operators. The solution benefits fleet operators by saving costs and resource expenditure while ensuring that the fleet complies with the prevailing standards. The primary focus of the market vendors has been to drive the overall efficiency of a fleet business by eliminating services that offer marginal value.
• Fleet management solutions are being widely used by large- and medium-scale fleet owners for streamlining operations. The rate of adoption among small fleet owners has been slow, owing to factors like lack of awareness, limited operation scale, smaller budgets, limited compliance norms, high capital requirements, and a rise in operational costs.
• According to AT&T, the annual accident rate for commercial fleets is about 20%. Fleet accidents have the most expensive injury claims for businesses, with an average cost of about USD 70,000 per accident. This has emphasized the need to manage the commercial fleet.

Market Trends 

• The driver management systems in fleet management solutions include applications, such as driver registration, insurance risk management, and analysis. The prime motive of driver management systems is to study the driver behavior and make necessary changes to driving styles, which will reduce fuel consumption and improve the vehicle’s maintenance.
• According to a 2021 Fleet technology trend report by Verizon the fleet businesses are achieving value by investing in fleet tracking technology. Approximately 96% of fleets in the country are deploying GPS fleet tracking software.

So, we can expect the adoption of cloud computing systems and the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) with the transportation industry, which are among the key factors driving the growth of the market. 

In addition to this, rapid adoption of wireless technology and advancement in 4G and 5G technologies offering wide area coverage, enhanced productivity, along with quick access and response to the users, are also creating a positive impact on the market.

 

In the harsh, unyielding public spotlight, today’s municipal fleet managers must find ways to do more with less. It’s a challenge made all the more complex by the massive diversity of equipment in their fleets.

The diverse equipment pool is a double-edged sword. Many fleet executives believe that mechanics are attracted to shops with different kinds of equipment. But in an era of fierce labor shortages, finding mechanics qualified to work on the wide range of equipment is problematic. That’s why preventive maintenance is crucial in this segment.

Today’s successful municipal fleet managers have taken on a new proactive business strategy that enables them to satisfy the customer base (i.e., taxpayers) that expects reliable and efficient service at the lowest price.

Strategies to Reduce Fuel Usage by Municipal Fleets

Vehicle fuel consumption on average represents about 20% of total municipal energy usage for towns. And a good first step in reducing municipal fleet fuel consumption is to understand where and when fuel consumption is occurring.  This information can help municipal officials, staff, and volunteers to identify major sources of fuel consumption, and decide where to focus fuel usage reduction efforts.

Link2Pump service can be very useful in this area, as we offer solutions such as:

— instant tracking of fuel expenditures by department

— real-time tracking and reporting by vehicle, driver, division and more

— no fuel misuse, our system can prevent drivers from accidentally filling gas into diesel powered vehicles

With these tools, you can have a complete fuel log from each vehicle and monitor fuel use for all vehicles using the municipal pumps. 

There are also other strategies for managing vehicle operation for better vehicle and fleet fuel efficiency.  While simple, these strategies can lead to significant reductions in overall fuel consumption. You should keep an eye on:

— Proactive Vehicle Maintenance

— Anti-Idling Policies

— Green Driving Education

— Route Optimization

— Vehicle Rightsizing

— Interdepartmental Coordination 

If you want to learn more about our solution and are searching for alternatives to manage your municipal fleet, please get in touch.