Driving a Sustainable Future: The Road Ahead

Consider recent survey data, which found that 64% of drivers consider themselves “sustainability-minded” and plan to purchase a new energy vehicle (NEV), such as hybrid, fully electric, or natural gas, when their current vehicle needs replacing. What’s more, new legislation, like the EU’s 2030 Climate Target Plan, requires transport sectors such as road, rail, and aviation to do their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As a result, logistics and transport companies must find ways to make sustainability a part of everyday operations. But what does the road ahead look like?

The Sustainability Trifecta

Three key factors are now impacting the adoption of more sustainable transport practices.

First is the ongoing impact of the transportation sector on greenhouse gas emissions. According to the European Environment Agency, while greenhouse gas emissions fell in 2020 due to the pandemic, they rebounded by 7.7% in 2021 and are on track to continue through 2022. The Agency also reports that road transportation is the top contributor of GHGs, accounting for 77% of all transport emissions.

To help combat climbing CO2 volumes, the EU introduced its 2030 Climate Target Plan, which aims to reduce GHG emissions at least 55% across the Union by 2023. All transport sectors must help contribute to this reduction. With transport volumes on the rise, however, this becomes a significant challenge.

Next is sustainability across the value chain. As noted by research firm PWC, one way that OEMs and transport agencies are looking to reduce their impact is through the use of spare parts made from recyclable materials, the implementation of battery recycling programs, rainwater harvesting systems for key manufacturing processes, and production plans that rely on geothermal, solar, or wind power.

Finally, companies are looking to leverage digital sustainability to improve driving efficiency and reduce GHGs.

How NNG Helps Build Digital Sustainability

In 2010, NNG introduced GREEN and in 2015 created ECO route planning to help reduce traffic congestion and decrease fuel consumption. Both algorithms aim to reduce CO2 emissions on the target route without significantly increasing travel time. Key assumptions include:

• Going uphill increases fuel consumption.

• Frequent acceleration and deceleration significantly increase fuel consumption.

• Higher speeds increase consumption because of air resistance.

• Ideal fuel efficiency is achieved by balancing urban and rural speeds.

To create optimal routes, NNG’s carbon footprint sustainability navigation uses the map provider’s ADAS-specific data combined with the iGO navigation platform to help save energy, lower pollution levels, and reduce overall environmental impact

Why NNG for the Road Ahead?

Choosing NNG to help achieve sustainability goals offers key benefits including:

• Exceptionally quick journey planning with the NNG algorithm.

• Proven track record of developing sustainable products.

• Experience in exotic and niche products, such as RVs and trucks, and region-specific markets, such as South Korea, China, and Japan.

• Provider-agnostic technologies that have well-built chains with reliable and sustainable third-party suppliers.

At NNG, we believe that sustainability ambitions are ideally broader than simply producing emissions-free vehicles. Instead, true sustainability starts with new energy, but drives success over time with intelligent digital processes that help transportation organizations optimize routes and reduce fuel costs without sacrificing operational efficiency.

Ensure you’re ready for the road ahead with NNG. Let’s go.