Drive types for business vehicles - choosing cleverly can save money

Hardly any company can do without business vehicles, and in addition to company cars for employees, commercial vehicles and vans are part of the fleet. Their upkeep is not cheap. If the vehicles are constantly in use, the cost of fuel rises quickly. This makes it all the more important to choose the right type of drive for the business vehicles in advance. Another aspect is environmental protection requirements.

Even though environmental zones in Switzerland have been few and far between so far: More are sure to follow.

In the long run, you will need vehicles with environmentally friendly drives or vehicles that comply with the applicable emission standards. This is the only way to ensure that your employees are mobile everywhere. This reduces the costs for CO2 compensation and, in the best case, even brings you a tax refund. Last but not least, e-mobility is a sign of sustainability.

We take this into account with our low-emission subscription cars at CARIFY. Discover the best options for your fleet now!

Gasoline - especially suitable for short trips

Gasoline-powered internal combustion engines are still the most widely used because they run well and safely, start up quickly and accelerate well. In a gasoline engine, the pistons compress a mixture of gasoline with air. The mixture, which is under high pressure, is then ignited by the spark plugs. In most cases, efficiency is only around 10%.

Thanks to lower CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, gasoline engines are a good choice in city traffic and for short distances. These are the advantages and disadvantages of gasoline engines for business vehicles:

Incidentally, gasoline-powered VW cars are among the most popular business vehicles for low-level executives in Switzerland. Top managers prefer sedans from Audi.

Among commercial vehicles, the Citroën C4 Grand Spacetourer is ahead.

Diesel - for all those who drive long distances

Diesel engines are also internal combustion engines. However, the fuel-air mixture ignites automatically without spark plugs. Thanks to direct injection and exhaust gas turbocharging, passenger car diesel engines achieve a high peak efficiency of 43%.

Diesel vehicles show their strengths on long journeys: The powerful engine scores with economical consumption. Commercial vehicles often have a diesel engine, as it can also transport heavy loads effortlessly. Many field service employees rely on passenger cars with economical diesel engines.

The Mercedes-Benz E 220 d Night 9G-Tronic and the Opel Zafira Life M 1.5 CDTI 120 Business Edition S/S are popular.

Natural gas - alternative with less model choice.

They operate on the diesel or gasoline engine principle, but are powered by bio- or natural gas (methane), which is around 20% more energy-efficient. A distinction is made between CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas).

Both are highly efficient and inexpensive as fuels. The low-emission natural gas vehicles are particularly suitable for use in densely populated areas.

Among the few standard passenger cars with natural gas drive, the Skoda Octavia is particularly popular. Some commercial vehicles from Iveco and VW are also available with natural gas.

Electric vehicles & e-cars - inexpensive to maintain

Unlike the combustion engine, e-cars are battery-powered.

The drive energy is stored in the rechargeable battery, and there are no emissions when driving. E-cars offer plenty of driving fun, and they come in all sizes and equipment. The range of modern e-vehicles is also impressive.

This makes e-cars particularly suitable as short-distance vehicles in the city.

More and more vehicle manufacturers are focusing on electromobility. The most popular electric commercial vehicle is the Ford E-Transit Van 350 L2H2 67kWh Trend. Among sedans, the Renault Mégane E-Tech iconic is popular.

Hybrid - very economical and efficient

The full hybrid vehicle combines environmentally friendly e-mobility with the range of a combustion engine (gasoline or diesel), which provides the main drive. The special feature here is that the battery is charged while driving and by braking energy. You can look forward to 40% less fuel emissions, but you are not exclusively dependent on charging stations for your mobility.

This means you can drive long distances with a hybrid and still be economical and environmentally friendly. Short distances, on the other hand, can be covered purely electrically.

Full hybrid vehicles are available as the Toyota Yaris Cross 1.5 Elegant e-CVT AWDi and from other Asian manufacturers. Popular mild hybrids, in which the electric motor only provides support, include the Ford Focus.

Plug-in hybrid - short-range champion

In the plug-in hybrid, the battery charges both while driving (as in the full hybrid) and via the power socket (plug). This type of vehicle also drives short distances fully electrically, while the combustion engine increases the range on long distances. The rather expensive all-rounders score points for their fuel efficiency on short trips, but they are associated with high maintenance costs.

On the other hand, a plug-in hybrid is reliable even over long distances. The advantages and disadvantages are the same as for the full hybrid. The Mercedes-Benz A 250e and the VW Golf 1.4 TSI PHEV Style are popular representatives of this drive.

Conclusion

Each of the drive types presented has its advantages and disadvantages. In addition to factors such as purchase price and fuel costs, there are other aspects to consider. These include emissions: Owners of dirty internal combustion engines must prepare for rising greenhouse gas offsets and expect increasing driving bans.

Acquiring a fleet of low-emission vehicles may be more expensive at first, but it pays off in the long run. Disadvantages such as inadequate charging infrastructure will soon be a thing of the past.

Want to convert your fleet to environmentally friendly drive types? How about a car subscription solution?

At CARIFY, we have attractive rates for business customers and a huge selection of cars and commercial vehicles.