Unlocking the aero ADVANTAGE
For commercial fleets, farmers, and mining companies, any possible efficiency gains are being explored to get more operational range from every litre of diesel.
Technicians and drivers are trying to optimise routes, run tyres at the perfect inflation pressure( reducing drag), and ensure engines are impeccably serviced, to achieve the best possible combustion efficiency.
The financial reality is that R30 / litre diesel is a terrifying administered cost. Transport companies, the agricultural sector, and heavy industry are struggling to absorb without corroding operational margins or triggering a ripple effect of cascading costs.
What are the options for fleet managers who run their diesel trucks even more efficiently? If engines are running to specification and tyre pressures adjusted to ensure the lowest possible rolling resistance, what else can be done to enhance fleet performance and reduce fuel consumption?
SMALL MARGINS – BIG GAINS
The commercial trucking industry can be strangely traditional in some respects, while an early adopter in others. Advanced telematics are widely integrated and used throughout the industry. But at its core, the truck industry has been very resistant to change in truck design. And that has prevented one of the most obvious efficiency benefits for long-distance cargo transport – aerodynamic drag.
At highway cruising speeds, more than 50 % of the diesel engine’ s energy conversion is being used to overcome aerodynamic drag, not weight. Cabover trucks and box trailers, with their squared-off front and blunt rear profiles, generate a large low-pressure zone at the lower aft of the rig, resulting in significant aerodynamic drag.
If aerodynamic drag is such an issue, and fleets are desperately seeking any increased efficiency and reduced diesel consumption, why aren’ t there more aerodynamic solutions? Some of the reasons are traditional. When Ford was still in the heavy-duty truck business, it invested an enormous amount of R & D to create aerodynamic trucks in the 1990s, which were lighter on diesel but rejected by the market for looking too curvaceous …
Cab roof fairings are widely adopted and help. But somehow, there are many small aerodynamic upgrades like side skirts and wheel covers that remain unused by the truck industry. Aftermarket design and engineering teams who can create simple add-on aero components and solutions are sure to find a receptive market.
WORDS IN ACTION 32 MAY 2026