Diesel, petrol and PHEV vehicles all have a place in the fleet mix, with diesels still having the highest average mpg by far for longer journeys.

The analysis reveals the best types of fuel/vehicles for different journeys based on MPG readings delivered by Airmax technology

So says telematics specialist Airmax Remote after analysis of different journey profiles showed the relative merits of all three fuel types.

The analysis covered September journeys by executive saloons across the whole Airmax Remote customer base and assessed the performance of diesel, PHEV and petrol models over three different distances (200 miles, 20 miles and 3 miles) to determine which fuel provides the best economy.

The Airmax Remote analysis reveals that as the trip length reduces, PHEV improves, both in terms of the relative mpg performance – overtaking petrol and closing the gap on diesel in terms of pure mpg average. However, over longer distances, diesel still presents the most cost-effective fuel choice.

Dan Faulkner, head of sales at Airmax Remote, said: “The data obtained by Airmax Remote’s technology delivers incredible insight and visibility for fleet managers and businesses, giving them the ability to better understand their fleet and deliver cost savings. Our findings help support the idea that fleet choice and policy should be flexible around the needs and profile of the fleet and even individuals within a fleet rather than a one size fits all approach.”

Faulkner added: “Fuel costs are a large portion of a fleet’s spend, and we know fleet providers and fleet managers are constantly looking at ways to reduce or manage this spend. Having the availability of accurate data is key to making informed choices.”