What Fuel Economy MPG Does A Lorry Get?

If you’re buying a used truck or have just purchased a HGV, you’ll need to figure out your lorry’s MPG to ensure you’re getting the most from your fuel economy.

As diesel prices have sharply risen, ensuring your lorry is as dynamic as possible can help you retain fuel for longer.

In this guide, our experts take a closer look at the miles per gallon for each weight category for lorries, so you can get a better idea of costs for a more efficient fleet.

We’ll cover:

– What impacts fuel consumption for lorries

– The MPGs you can expect for a lorry

– What you can expect from Smith Bros.

How much fuel does a lorry use?

Although modern diesel cars can easily achieve upwards of 50mpg on the motorway, lorries (including HGVs and trucks) over long-haul trips don’t even come close.

In comparison, a modern lorry consumes roughly 29.774 litres of fuel per 100km.

What impacts fuel consumption in lorries?

Frequency of acceleration

As with all vehicles, a truck driving at steady speed down the motorway while on a long-haul journey (without frequent starting and stopping) will consume a good deal less diesel than a lorry that is moving up and down gears at varying speeds on curving roads or in built-up areas.

Going uphill

The more hills a truck climbs, the more its engine speed is needed. This leads to more fuel consumption.

How heavy the vehicle is (GVW – gross vehicle weight)

According to science, the heavier a vehicle is, the bigger impact it will have on fuel consumption. heavier and more heavily loaded a vehicle is, the more fuel it will consume.

Research suggests that every 10% increase in gross weight can result in a 5% increase in fuel consumption, so it’s crucial to keep an eye on overall fuel efficiency and cost reduction.

Vehicle aerodynamics

Lorries, by nature, are larger and aren’t built to reduce drag, which can use more fuel to combat.

However, the UK government has introduced legislation to permit the use of aerodynamic features on all lorries, which is estimated to result in a 7% to 15% saving in fuel.

So, what fuel economy (MPG) does a lorry get?

It’s important to remember that a number of factors can impact the overall fuel economy (MPG) of your lorry.

This includes the type of roads and overall terrain you’re driving on, as well as the aerodynamics and weight for each lorry in particular.

However, while loaded on a straight stretch of motorway, you can expect 7 to 9mpg from a 44-tonne flatbed lorry. 

On a normal two-way road, involving other blockages such as traffic, multiple junctions, and accelerating up a hill could see that number drop to 5mpg.

For a rigid truck, you can expect to see roughly 12 to 14 mpg on a motorway and 9 to 10 mpg on regular roads.

Interested in purchasing a haulage vehicle? Get in touch with Smith Bros. 

Whether you have a fleet or are operating a single truck, we know you’ll want the best fuel economy from your vehicles.

At Smith Bros, we know HGVs and other haulage vehicles like the back of our hands, seeing as we’ve been in business for over 50 years.

With names such as Scania to Mercedes, DAF, and Volvo on offer, we can provide many makes and models for a range of transportation needs – just browse our latest trucks for sale. 

To start your journey, get in touch with the team today!