Fuel prices have rocketed in recent months thanks in no small part to the US-Iran conflict and the stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz. And the resulting increases have hammered UK haulage operators with it now accounting for 28% to 35% of total operating costs. Those numbers only get bigger as fleets grow.
Take a 200-vehicle fleet consuming eight million litres annually, for example. An average 8% saving on fuel represents £640,000 at current prices. That is not a rounding error – it’s the kind of figure that changes a year’s financial result, and for some companies it really is make or break.
Industry data shows that only around 10% of operators are able to fully pass rising fuel costs on to customers, with fuel costs themselves having surged by around 35% since mid-February amid the current global disruption. In other words, most fleets are absorbing this pressure directly, which makes any genuine efficiency gain worth pursuing. For many operators, this has shifted fuel efficiency from a nice to have improvement into something closer to a survival issue, particularly for businesses already working on tight margins.
Why Electrification Is Not A Short Term Answer
Full HGV fleet electrification remains a decade-long undertaking for most operators, constrained by vehicle cost, a still patchy charging infrastructure and payload limitations. None of that is going to change quickly. What fleets actually need is a way to cut fuel costs now, using the vehicles they already operate, without waiting for infrastructure that may still be years away.
This is not an argument against electrification as a longer-term direction. It is simply a recognition that most fleet managers cannot put their entire cost reduction strategy on hold while the wider transition plays out over the next decade. A practical bridge that works with existing diesel assets fills a genuine and immediate gap, giving operators a way to protect margins while the wider transition continues in the background.
A Practical Saving Without Capital Expenditure
This is where diesel fuel additive technology earns its place. Sulnox Eco Fuel Conditioner delivers an average fuel saving of 8% in land-based applications by existing free water into diesel before combustion, which triggers secondary atomisation during the combustion process itself. Real world results back this up. The MGL Demolition fleet trial recorded average savings of 5.74%, equating to 62,400 fewer litres consumed annually. Independent generator testing recorded peak savings of 14.5%.
The benefits extend beyond fuel alone. An average of 17% improvement in lubricity extends injector and pump service life, while reduced soot formation cuts DPF regeneration frequency and the fuel penalty that comes with it. Many users also report an additional 1%-2% saving from lower AdBlue consumption, which adds up across a large fleet. None of these secondary benefits show up immediately on a fuel invoice, but they compound steadily over the life of a vehicle and are often what tips the overall return on investment from worthwhile into genuinely compelling
Simple To Implement, No Disruption To Operations
Sulnox is added at a 1:2,000 ratio through existing bulk tank dosing equipment, and it is compatible with a variety of fuel types including EN590 diesel, biodiesel and HVO. There is no capital expenditure required, no engine modifications and no driver training needed. For fleet managers juggling competing priorities, that simplicity matters as much as the saving itself, since it removes the usual barriers that can stall adoption of a new technology, namely cost, complexity and disruption to day-to-day operations.
The Emissions Case Stacks On Top
More complete combustion reduces CO2 in direct proportion to the fuel saved, and independent trials have demonstrated PM2.5 reductions of over 96%. For ESG reporting and Clean Air Zone obligations, that gives fleet operators measurable compliance data they can point to directly, rather than relying on estimates. This dual benefit, lower fuel spend alongside lower emissions, is becoming increasingly relevant as more clients and contracts ask for evidence of environmental performance rather than simply taking it on trust.
The RHA Annual Cost Movement Survey for 2025 recorded a 3.5% rise in total operating costs, with fuel identified as the primary variable driver. Independent logistics consultancy analysis of UK haulage cost pressures has reached a similar conclusion, naming fuel as the single largest variable cost facing operators in 2025. Rising fuel costs have continued to impact through the first half of 2026 and are likely to be a significant factor for some time to come.
Where To Start
If fuel is already the largest variable in your operating costs, even a modest efficiency improvement by using diesel fuel additive compounds quickly across a full fleet and a full year. With fuel accounting for up to a third of fleet operating costs, an average saving of 8% through Sulnox Eco Fuel Conditioner translates directly to bottom line improvement, with no capital expenditure and no disruption to operations.
An evaluation of fuel treatments for diesel is usually the most sensible starting point. Running Sulnox across a portion of your fleet allows you to verify the saving against your own data before committing to a wider rollout, which removes much of the uncertainty that naturally comes with adopting a new fuel treatment approach. It also gives finance teams a clear, measured figure to work with rather than an industry average that may not reflect your specific fleet and routes.
Contact A&S International to discuss evaluation options for your fleet and see what a measured saving could mean for your numbers.
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