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Ecodriving

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.5 / Subcat-No.5.4-1

General Information

Title

FACT SHEET NO.: Cat-No.5 / Subcat-No.5.4-1

Category

5. Efficiency standards & Flanking measures

Subcategory

5.4 Flanking measures: promotion, information, dialogue

Transport policy measure (TPM)

Ecodriving

Description of TPM

The promotion of ecodriving is one of the objectives of the EU White Paper on Transport 2011: “ Include eco-driving requirements in the future revisions of the driving license directive and take steps to accelerate the deployment of ITS applications in support of eco-driving.” By changing driver behaviour, a more sustainable behaviour is fostered.
Eco-driving (from the longer term “economical and defensive driving”) is a style of driving that saves energy consumption, reduces air pollution emission and creates safe and relaxed driving atmosphere. It involves a number of activities that begin even before a driver turns on the engine, including route planning and basic vehicle checks. Ecodriving can also be supported by ITS / RTTI and general vehicle-infrastructure communication.
Eco-driving is an alternative that does not require significant investments; it only needs educational programs, and if possible a strategic monitoring or enforcement system. Thus, it is considered one of the most cost-effective approaches to reduce fuel consumption, increase safety and improve air quality. The measure is also valid for drivers of passenger cars and not limited to transport operators.
In summary, ecodriving is not only an ecological measure, but it also implies economical and defensive driving.

Implementation examples

-Switzerland: reduction of fuel consumption by 11,7% and increase of average speed from 47.02 km/h to 48.21 km/h [1] [2]
- Canada: during the first five weeks after the training reduction of fuel consumption of 6.5% to 15.0% on the highway and from 9.0% to 13.0% in the city; after nine months: 6.2% on the highway and 7.2% in the city.
- Jakarta and Surabaya (Indonesia): GTZ training of bus drivers achieved an energy reduction of 7-15%
- Buenos Aires: fuel savings 14,2%, increase of average by 7.3%
- Mendoza (Argentina): fuel savings of 15-18%

Objectives of TPM

The TPM is aimed at reducing energy use from transport and thereby the impact of oil prices on transport costs in road transport. By reducing the fuel consumption, significant cost savings can be achieved. Furthermore, ecodriving increase the safety of professional drivers and increases job satisfaction.

Choice of transport mode / Multimodality

Possible change

Origin and/or destination of trip

Trip frequency

Choice of route

Timing (day, hour)

Occupancy rate / Loading factor

Energy efficiency / Energy usage

Major change

Main source

[1] Bureau de l’efficacité et de l’innovation énergétiques (2011): Eco-driving training pilot project for light vehicles. Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune, Quebec Website of Quality Alliance Eco-Drive (QAED).
[2] GTZ (2005). Sustainable Transport. A sourcebook for policy-makers in developing cities. Module 4f: Ecodriving. Commissioned by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
[3] Qian, G. and Chung, E. (2011): Evaluating effects of eco-driving at traffic intersections based on traffic micro-simulation. Australasian Transport Research Forum 2011 Proceedings 28 - 30 September 2011, Adelaide, Australia; Publication website: http://www.patrec.org/atrf.aspx
[4] TNO (2006): Review and analysis of the reduction potential and costs of technological and other measures to reduce CO2-emissions from passenger cars.Commissioned by the European Commission. DG-ENTR.
[5] CE Delft (2009): EU Transport GHG: Routes to 2050. Operational options for all transport modes. Delft (http://www.eutransportghg2050.eu/cms/)

Traffic Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Travel or transport time

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Risk of congestion

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Vehicle mileage

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Service and comfort

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

Applying ecodriving principles led to an increased time spent driving at a constant speed as well as drop in idle-time. [1] An Australian study showed that under normal traffic condition moderate acceleration is beneficial to the environment accompanying little impact on travel time. However, when the traffic is heavy (i.e., the traffic flow rate is 1000vehicles/hour) moderate acceleration significantly increased all the measures of performance.[3]

Quantification of impacts


Economic Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Transport costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Private income / commercial turn over

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Revenues in the transport sector

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sectoral competitiveness

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Spatial competitiveness

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Housing expenditures

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Insurance costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Health service costs

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public authorities & adm. burdens on businesses

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Public income (e.g.: taxes, charges)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Third countries and international relations

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

Reductions in variable costs: reduced fuel consumption, repairs, maintenance, tyres, leading to greater profit margins and revenues [2]

Quantification of impacts


Social Impacts
Environmental Impacts

Passengers 

         

Transport operators 

           

Unassigned 

         

Air pollutants

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Noise emissions

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Visual quality of the landscape

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Land use

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Climate

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Renewable or non-renewable resources

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Overall impacts on social groups

Implementation phase

Operation phase

Summary / comments concerning the main impacts

The main environmental benefit from ecodriving concerns the reduction of fuel consumption and CO2. Furthermore, ecodriving also reduces air pollutants such as Hydrocarbons, carbon monoxides, particulates and nitrous oxides [2]

Quantification of impacts

Ecodriving training can be very effective with savings in fuel consumption between 3-11%: 10% fuel savings on average directly after the ecodriving course. The average reduction of the mean fuel consumption rate is in the range of 9.5 % on the highway and 11 % in the city. This positive benefit was maintained approximately six months after which a significant drop was observed. The long term effect is less well known, but is expected to be significantly smaller: 5-7% savings aver a year or more [2] and [5]. Other sources claim that the long term effect of applying eco-driving is a fuel consumption reduction of between 3% to 4.5%. [4]

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