This guide covers how fuel management is changing as diesel fleets become mixed fleets: what a mixed fleet includes, what gets harder, what tools help, and where on-site fuel delivery fits.
How Fleet Fuel Management Has Changed
From Paper Logs to Telematics
The old model was paper logs and fuel cards. The newer one is telematics, sensors, and software that can pull fueling, location, and idle data into one place. The goal has not changed: know what you used, where, and what it cost. The tools just got better.
Why Diesel Remains Central to Most Fleets
Diesel remains important for many logistics and construction operations, even as fleets add electric vehicles. Fuel Logic’s diesel delivery services support the liquid-fuel vehicles that remain in use. Fleet managers still need to plan for fuel-price changes, delivery schedules, and engine-specific emissions requirements.
What Is A Mixed Fleet?
A mixed fleet consists of cars that use more than one energy source, often diesel, gasoline, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles that are managed together. Fleet managers must track gallons, kilowatt-hours, charging times, and delivery windows in a single cost picture.
What a Mixed Fleet Includes
- Diesel
- Gasoline
- Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids
- Other fuels, such as propane or natural gas, for some fleets
Fuel Logic delivers diesel, off-road diesel, gasoline, and DEF. We do not deliver propane or natural gas, and we do not provide EV charging.
Why Fleets Are Diversifying
Incentives, cost, and expectations all push in the same direction. WEX and Frost & Sullivan surveyed 500 organizations with commercial vehicles across the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific. According to Work Truck’s summary, 80% of the fleet operators surveyed intend for at least 25% of their fleets to be EVs by 2030, and 63% of fleet managers said they have a low-carbon goal to hit by or before 2030. This was a vendor-commissioned survey, so treat it as a signal of intent, not a forecast.
Challenges Of Managing A Mixed Fleet
- Tracking multiple energy sources in one place
- Balancing charging time against fueling time
- Needing reporting that covers all of it
The same Work Truck article points to fragmented data from older systems that struggle to handle EV-specific information as a common obstacle, along with inconsistent public charging.
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Modern Fuel Management Technologies
Telematics and Real-Time Analytics
Telematics tracks mileage, idle time, and, where supported, tank levels. WEX’s Brian Fournier says it can help fleets compare the performance of different fuel types and assess the return on alternative-fuel vehicles versus gasoline or diesel counterparts. Reviewing fleet fuel performance benchmarks can help managers interpret those records and compare similar vehicles, routes, and operating conditions.
How On-Site Fuel Delivery Works for Mixed Fleets
Fuel Logic’s fleet fueling services bring diesel and gasoline to the yard so vehicles can be refueled where they park. Deliveries can be scheduled around fleet availability, including overnight arrangements where supported. Fuel Logic also supplies DEF and can arrange fuel-level monitoring with automatic refills for bulk tank customers. Weights and Measures certified pumps measure deliveries, with digital usage reporting providing records for the liquid-fuel side.
Work Truck reports that on-site mobile fueling is growing among fleets because it avoids detours to stations, which reduces mileage and increases productivity.
Sustainability and Emissions Reporting
How Fuel Strategy Affects Carbon Reporting
The EPA defines Scope 1 emissions as direct emissions from sources an organization owns or controls, including fuel combustion in vehicles. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from purchased electricity. A mixed fleet has both: the gallons you burn show up in Scope 1, and charging electricity shows up in Scope 2.
That makes your records matter. Accurate gallons by fuel type, tied to delivery records, are the starting point for the liquid-fuel side. Requirements depend on your state and your operation, so check what applies.
Renewable Fuels and Electrification
Fleets also look at biodiesel and renewable diesel, and EV adoption is growing. For diesel units, DEF delivery, including bulk DEF, is available from Fuel Logic.
What the Transition Means for Fleet Managers
Operational Planning
- Balance charging downtime against fueling schedules.
- Adapt maintenance schedules for different powertrains.
- Watch costs during the transition, when you carry both kinds of overhead.
Vendor and Infrastructure Choices
Pick partners who are clear about what they cover. Ask each vendor what fuel types they handle, how you get the data, and whether the records work with your reporting. When you request fleet fuel delivery, share your vehicle fuel requirements and preferred schedule so Fuel Logic can review options for the liquid-fuel side of your operation.
⚡ Key Takeaways
- Fuel management is moving from diesel-only to multiple energy sources.
- Data systems now need to track liquid fuels and electricity side by side.
- Emissions reporting adds a second set of numbers to keep.
- Fuel Logic handles the liquid-fuel side: diesel, off-road diesel, gasoline, and DEF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “mixed fleet” mean in fuel management?
A fleet that runs more than one energy source, such as diesel, gasoline, electric, and hybrid vehicles, which makes tracking cost and usage harder.
How can diesel and EV fleets be managed together?
Put fueling and charging data in one reporting view, compare cost per mile across vehicle types, and plan liquid-fuel deliveries and charging windows together.
What tools help track fuel use across different vehicle types?
Telematics, fleet management software, and fuel or charging records. Look for systems that handle both liquid fuel and electricity.
Does Fuel Logic deliver for hybrid or electric fleets?
We fuel the diesel and gasoline side of a mixed fleet, and supply DEF. Plug-in hybrids that use gasoline or diesel can be fueled. We do not provide EV charging.
How can I plan for the shift from diesel to alternative fuels?
Start with a total cost of ownership comparison for your own vehicles and routes. Match electric to predictable return-to-base duty and keep liquid fuel for heavy or remote work. Keep clean fuel records throughout.
Keep Your Liquid-Fuel Side Simple
Fuel Logic’s on-site fleet fueling services support the diesel and gasoline vehicles in a mixed fleet. When you request a fuel delivery, share your fuel types, site locations, and preferred fueling windows, or call 866-311-3571 to discuss your setup.
