Modeling fuel efficiency for heavy duty vehicles (HDVs) in India

Transport sector accounts for almost 70% consumption of diesel in India. With increased dependency on road transportation for freight transport, there is a need to develop fuel-efficiency standards for the heavy duty vehicles (HDVs). This study models the fuel efficiency of the existing fleet of HDVs and compares it with the world’s best practices. The model uses the technical details of the existing HDV fleet and the prescribed driving cycles to assess fuel efficiency. The results of the model are validated with the actual test results of fuel efficiency observed for HDVs in India. The model presents a fuel economy of 2.65 km/l for truck and bus model of given specification. The validated model is then used for evaluating the potential of different strategies to improve fuel efficiency. The models estimate a potential of about 36% improvement in the fuel efficiency in the HDVs in India through improvements in thermal efficiency, reduction in rolling resistance, and reduction in vehicle weight. The study provides a direction for the possible fuel efficiency improvements in HDV sector in India.