Fleet management

Overview

The Fleet Management module provides a comprehensive solution for organizations to track and calculate greenhouse gas emissions from their vehicle fleets. This module integrates with the European Environment Agency (EEA) vehicle emissions database and supports custom vehicle configurations, enabling accurate emissions reporting for both Scope 1 (owned vehicles) and Scope 3 (leased vehicles) under the GHG Protocol.

Key Components

1. Vehicle Emissions Registry

The Vehicle Emissions Registry serves as a centralised database of vehicle emission factors and specifications. It consists of two types of data:

Official EEA Data

Source: European Environment Agency’s comprehensive vehicle CO2 emissions database
Coverage: Over 30,000 vehicle models with detailed emissions data
Data Points: Manufacturer, model, year, fuel type, CO2 emissions (WLTP), fuel consumption, engine specifications
Updates: Managed by system administrators through batch import processes
Protection: Official EEA data cannot be edited by users to maintain data integrity

Custom Vehicle Data

Purpose: Allows users to add vehicles not found in the EEA registry
Use Cases:
- Heavy trucks and specialised vehicles
- Vehicles from non-EU countries
- Custom or modified vehicles
- Older vehicles not in the EEA database
Flexibility: Full control over emission factors and specifications

2. Fleet Vehicles

Fleet Vehicles represent the actual vehicles in an organisation’s fleet. Each fleet entry can represent multiple identical vehicles, streamlining data management for large fleets.

Key Features:

Quantity Tracking: Track multiple identical vehicles as a single entry
Ownership Classification:
- Owned vehicles → Scope 1 emissions
- Leased vehicles → Scope 3.8 emissions
Data Linking: Optional connection to EEA registry data or custom specifications
Vehicle Classes: Cars, vans, trucks, buses, and other vehicle types

How It Works Together

1. Data Flow

EEA Registry / Custom Data → Fleet Vehicle Entry → Emissions Calculations

Registry Selection: When creating a fleet vehicle, users can: Search and select from the EEA registry (30,000+ options) Enter custom vehicle specifications if not found in registry
Fleet Configuration: Users specify: Vehicle quantity (e.g., 50 identical Ford Transit vans) Ownership type (owned/leased) Additional notes or identifiers
Emissions Calculation: The system automatically: Pulls emission factors from linked registry data Calculates potential annual emissions based on distance Aggregates emissions by ownership type for proper scope classification

2. Search and Matching

The system provides intelligent search capabilities:

Search Fields:

Primary identifiers: Manufacturer, Make, Model, Year
EEA-specific fields: Va (manufacturer code), Ve (model code)
Technical specs: Fuel type, engine power, engine capacity

Matching Algorithm:

Exact matching: Direct matches on manufacturer, model, year, and fuel type
Fuzzy matching: Partial matches with tolerance for variations
Technical validation: Engine specifications within 10% tolerance

3. User Workflow

For Fleet Managers:

Initial Setup:
Navigate to Data → Fleet
Click “Add new vehicle”
Search for vehicle in registry
If found: Link and specify quantity
If not found: Enter custom specifications
Ongoing Management:
View fleet summary with total vehicles by type
Monitor Scope 1 vs Scope 3 distribution
Track CO2 emissions per vehicle type
Plan for fleet optimisation
Emissions Reporting:
Automatic classification by ownership
Aggregated emissions for GHG reporting
Detailed breakdown by vehicle type

Best Practices

Data Quality

Prefer EEA Data: Always search the registry before creating custom entries
Accurate Quantities: Ensure vehicle counts are current
Regular Updates: Review fleet composition quarterly
Ownership Changes: Update when vehicles move from owned to leased

Emissions Accuracy

Use WLTP Values: More accurate than older NEDC standards
Consider Real-World Data: Adjust calculations based on actual fuel consumption