Green fuels and fleets are environmentally friendly for the planet and financially friendly for businesses.

Specific varieties of green vehicles are better for some companies and government operations than others. Fleet managers upgrading to ‘green’ can choose the most suitable fleet vehicles based on green fuel types and engine designs to save more cash, and help the natural world.

Natural Gas Vehicles are Great for Heavy Duty Transport and Hauling

Compressed natural gas (CNG), and liquified natural gas (LNG) trucks are excellent for companies using fleets for transport, heavy hauling and construction work.

Natural gas is practical for many reasons. Largely, it contributes to conserving the environment because it is a pure, nonpolluting fuel.

Natural gas is also domestic to the USA: 84% to 99% is derived from North America. Natural gas production supports the US economy and reduces dependency on foreign oil imports.

Natural gas vehicles do not require much upkeep, which also helps businesses save financially.

More Info: Learn about Natural Gas vehicles at FuelEconomy.gov.

Case Study: Read about Ryder Truck’s Success with a 320 Unit Natural Gas Fleet.

Biodiesel is a Cost-Effective After-Market Option for Existing Diesel Fleets

If a company already owns diesel vehicles, the cars, vans, or trucks can be easily and inexpensively converted to biodiesel fuel from the more toxic petro-diesel fuels.

Very minimal adjustments to the engine may be necessary, but in most cases no adjustment is needed.

Biodiesel is a clean-burning, pleasant smelling and affordable natural fuel made from alcohol combined with:

• Recycled cooking grease
• Vegetable oils
• Animal fats

Adapting fleets to biodiesel is an easy way to drive cleaner and help preserve natural habitats without the added burden of complete fleet replacement.

More Info: Learn about Bio-Diesel Conversion at FuelEconomy.gov.

Case Study: Read about how Florida Power & Light has Successfully used Bio-Diesel for over a Decade.

Short-Distance Fleets in Towns and Cities can go Green and Save Funds by Switching to Urban Electric Cars.

Zero emission plug-in electric cars (PEVs) are some of the best options for improving environmental and economic well-being.

Using electricity instead of gas to power a vehicle saves money for businesses given that electricity is significantly cheaper. In current times, it has been approximated that it costs as low as $2 to $4 to fully charge an electric car.

PEVs operate on 100% electricity for ranges from 38 to 265 miles, depending on the car. Most ranges fall somewhere between 50-85 miles for a single charge.

For this reason alone, PEVs are better suited to urban fleet usage, rather than long distance travel.

PEVs can be re-charged using a standard wall socket or private charging station, as well as at public, credit car based charging stations. Additionally, solar energy can be used to charge electric cars, offering an even cheaper, cost effective and more sustainable long term solution to fleet fueling.

Currently, most PEVs released after 2010 qualify for very high tax credits of up to $7,500 apiece. To learn more about electric car tax credits visit FuelEconomy.gov – Federal Tax Credits for PEVs.

More Info: Learn about Plug-In Electric Vehicles at FuelEconomy.gov.

Case Study: Read about how the State of California and the business community are collaborating to boost PEV buildout with Drive the Dream.

Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid Cars Aid in Relieving U.S. Dependency on Foreign Oil

Hybrid electric cars (HEVs) use electric motors in combination with gasoline engines.

When a driver coasts in a hybrid car, sits in traffic, or applies the brakes, the electric motor is engaged, saving gas during idle periods.

The electric motor also reduces emissions and deters gasoline use, resulting in lower gasoline costs. Additionally, in newer hybrid vehicles, energy generated during braking is fed back into the battery.

Since the initial launch of the Chevrolet Volt in 2011, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales have rapidly outpaced non-plug-in hybrid (HEV) sales, possibly due to the higher level of fuel economy offered.

Essentially, PHEVs operate as electric cars, with a gasoline engine as back up.

PHEVs are re-charged the same way as an electric car. Recharging the high capacity battery bank is inexpensive, and the electric motor, like standard hybrids, significantly lessens spending on gas.

Both HEVs and PHEVs are best used for passenger car fleets conducting longer trips due to the extended driving range afforded by the gasoline backup.

HEVs bought before 2010, and PHEVs bought after 2010 qualify for tax credits from $2,200 up to $7,500. Get details about these tax credits at FuelEconomy.gov – Federal Tax Credits for PHEVs and HEVs.

More Info: Learn about Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles at FuelEconomy.gov.

Case Study: Read about how Outerwall Combines Hybrids and Route Optimization to Save.

Greening Fleets across the Nation is Easily Possible, Affordable, and in Time Unavoidable

Every business can find the right green vehicle suited to its demands while saving money and the planet.

There has been an increase in the number of Federal and State tax incentives throughout the past decade for businesses investing in green vehicles, most recently and notably for PEVs and PHEVs.

Incentives and credits are also available for older models of natural gas vehicles (CNG and LNG), as well as diesel and bio fuel cars and trucks.

To find out more about current and expired incentives, visit the Alternative Fuels Data Center – Federal and State Laws and Incentives

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GPSTrackIt.com/ is proud to support green fleet initiatives in both the public private sectors.

GPSTrackIt.com/ offers one of the greenest suites of GPS tracking and fleet management products on the market today. Beyond GPS and satellite telematics, advanced fleet tracking and management features in GPSTrackIt.com/’s Fleet Pro solution include real-time, actionable reporting on locations, routing, fuel usage, stops/starts, aggressive driving and idle times. Additionally, Fleet Pro can be integrated with GPSTrackIt’s T5000 satellite hardware, enabling enterprises that need it to monitor fleets directly across 80% of the earth’s surface.