A specialist in the waste management industry in the United Kingdom, Biffa carries out collection operations with more than 2,900 vehicles every day. Eliminating, processing and recycling, the group has reduced its carbon emissions by 70% since 2002 and will devote £1.25 billion to reduce them by another 50% by 2030 and reach zero emissions by 2050. In this approach, the group called on Allison Transmission to reduce the carbon emissions of its BOM Euro 6 Dennis Elite and Mercedes-Benz Econic equipped with Allison transmissions.
220,000 euros in maintenance savings
In 2020, Allison Transmission substituted its TES 295 synthetic lubricant for the petroleum fluids used by Biffa for 1,150 BOMs. Its improved viscosity has allowed BOM service intervals to be extended to 36 months, 3,000 h or 12,000 km, compared to 12 months, 600 h or 15,000 km previously. Over one year, the transporter saved 3,600 man hours on the vehicle and reduced oil consumption and disposal by 33,500 litres. “We knew there was over-maintenance, but the biannual maintenance of some light commercial vehicles has increased to three times during their ten-year lifespan, exclaims Steve Lea, commercial director fleet at Biffa Municipal. . This solution has enabled annual savings of 220,000 euros”.
Software retrofit with FuelSense 2.0
In 2021, Allison replaced the engine consumption software of 9 BOM Dennis Eagle and Mercedes Benz Econic Euro 6 engines before 2018 for six months with its FuelSense 2.0 software. This includes DynActive® Shifting, whose algorithm calculates the optimum gearshift point based on vehicle, specification and environmental parameters. It also has the “Neutral” option when stationary and at low speed, which reduces the load on the engine, and the management of the acceleration rate which attenuates aggressive driving by controlling the engine torque.
“Our trial has shown that the use of Allison’s FuelSense 2.0 software has repercussions on the environment and on the profitability of users, recognizes Steve Cole, group director of fleet and supply at Biffa. We can reduce CO emissions2 and fuel costs on trucks seven to nine years old, but also on new vehicles. »
700,000 euros in savings
This Allison initiative proved to be lucrative. “It repays the cost of the upgrade in four months and is expected to reduce CO emissions2 of the Biffa fleet of 1,600 t per year and our diesel bills of more than 700,000 euros per year”, concludes Steve Lea.
