This question is so complicated and operational and geographical factors will always influence fuel economy but the clever people at a couple of German truck magazines believe that they have the most comprehensive test around. The ‘Green Truck comparison test’ has been running fourteen years now and applies a clever formula that covers all the relevant aspects of being transport-efficient and sustainable: fuel consumption, average speed, used AdBlue volume and the weight of the truck (the lighter the better).

The results should therefore give any potential long distance tractor unit buyer a steer in the right direction regarding the most fuel efficient truck.

Regular followers of the results of this test will not be surprised to hear that, once more, Scania have won the test and can claim that their Scania R460 Super Highline is the most fuel efficient tractor unit available with a result of 11.9 miles per gallon.

Scania Green Truck
Taking into perspective the fact that a long-haul truck travels something like 150,000 km each year, Scania’s R460 Super is more than 600 litre per year better off than the nearest competitor

The Most Fuel Efficient Tractor Unit in 2024: Scania R460 Super Highline

This is no surprise, as, apart from a brief hiccup in 2023 when Scania came second, Scania has won and been named “Green Truck” for seven out of the last eight tests. In fact, Scania has won the test nine out of the 14 times that it has been held since the competition began in 2011.

Last year, the title was taken by DAF with their new generation DAF XF450 with the 11-litre PACCAR MX-11 and a consumption of 13.29 miles per gallon.

“Scania participates in many press tests in Europe, but the Green Truck Award really focuses on what is an absolute core requirement in our industry – offering customers the best possible transport efficiency,” says Stefan Dorski, Senior Vice President and Head of Scania Trucks. “Our Super-based powertrain was introduced in 2021 and brought a new performance level to the market, with its 8% fuel-savings that our customers now benefit from in their daily operations.”

Dorski continues, “We at Scania are very proud and happy at having regained the title as the most efficient long-haul truck in the world. Consuming less fuel means that our trucks contribute a lot for curbing CO2 emissions, since so much of the world’s transports is still dependent on combustion engines.”

Fuel Savings

And when one takes a closer look at the actual data that are used in the Green Truck formula, Scania’s results stand out: over 100km distance, the average difference compared to the runner-up is 0.41 litres of fuel. Taking into perspective the fact that a long-haul truck travels something like 150,000 km each year, this makes Scania’s more than 600 litre per year better off than the nearest competitor. At 7,040 kg, the Scania truck was also the lightest vehicle, and achieved the highest average speed, at 79.70 km/h. Scania also introduced an updated version of its CCAP system (Cruise Control with Active Prediction) in May 2023, something that is believed to have given an edge in the test.

The actual testing takes place on various types of roads (though mainly motorways) in the Munich area. Everything is closely monitored by the organisers and by staff from the participating manufacturers. A reference truck is always used to compensate for changing conditions such as head winds, rain and temperature.