Cut Fuel Costs and Carbon Emissions: How Zelkam is Changing Diesel for Fleets

On this episode of the Well Aware Podcast, I sat down with Brian Livingston, the founder of Zelkam and a seasoned chemical engineer who spent nearly 20 years in Caterpillar’s diesel engine division.

We dug into everything from improving diesel fuel efficiency to how fleets can save real money—and the unexpected path that led Brian to start his own company in the middle of the COVID-19 upheaval.

But it all starts with a simple question:

Can a small device inside a diesel fuel system really make engines run more efficiently?

Brian’s answer, backed by real-world testing, is a confident yes. And if that holds true across the board, the potential impact for trucking fleets, mining operations, generators, and heavy machinery is huge.

The Hidden Opportunity Inside Diesel Fuel Systems

Most companies operating diesel fleets already spend enormous effort trying to improve fuel efficiency.

They optimize routes.They train drivers.They install aerodynamic equipment on trucks.They monitor tire pressure and vehicle maintenance.

All of those strategies matter.

But Brian believes there’s another lever that many companies haven’t considered yet:

improving the efficiency of the fuel itself before combustion even begins.

That’s the idea behind the device developed by Zelkam.

The technology is surprisingly straightforward. Diesel fuel flows through a copper tube filled with catalytic materials containing rare earth metals. As the fuel passes through the device, some of the longer hydrocarbon molecules are partially broken into smaller chains.

The chemistry itself isn’t new—refineries perform similar processes all the time.

The difference is applying that catalytic process directly inside the fuel system before the fuel reaches the engine.

The result is fuel that combusts slightly more efficiently.

And that efficiency shows up in measurable ways.

What 5–7% Fuel Savings Actually Means for Fleet Operators

When Brian talks about fuel efficiency gains, the numbers typically fall into the 5–7% range.

At first glance, that might not sound revolutionary.

But the math changes quickly when you apply that percentage to large fleets.

Consider a trucking company operating 1,000 trucks, each traveling around 120,000 miles per year. Diesel costs alone can run into tens of millions of dollars annually.

Improving fuel efficiency by even 5% can translate into millions of dollars saved each year.

It also means thousands of tons of CO₂ emissions avoided, simply because less fuel is burned.

For companies trying to balance operational costs with sustainability targets, that kind of improvement starts to get attention.

Why the Diesel Industry Is Naturally Skeptical

One of the most interesting parts of my conversation with Brian wasn’t the technology itself—it was the challenge of introducing it to the market.

The trucking and heavy equipment industries have seen plenty of products over the years promising dramatic fuel savings. Some of them worked. Many didn’t.

Because of that history, operators tend to approach new solutions cautiously.

Brian understood that skepticism immediately—because he shared it.

When he first encountered the technology, his reaction was simple: if this really worked, why hadn’t large engine manufacturers already adopted it?

Instead of dismissing it, he decided to investigate.

He visited the manufacturing facility, spoke directly with engineers and customers, reviewed extensive testing data, and studied the chemistry behind the device.

Only after doing that homework did he decide to build a business around it.

That decision eventually led to the creation of Zelkam.

The Real Barrier to Adoption: Awareness

If you ask Brian what the biggest challenge is today, it’s not engineering.

It’s awareness.

Most fleet operators simply don’t know that this type of diesel fuel catalyst technology exists.

And without awareness, even strong solutions struggle to gain traction.

This is one reason I wanted to have Brian on the Well Aware Podcast in the first place.

Part of what we try to do here is highlight ideas, technologies, and people working toward practical environmental sustainability—especially solutions that make sense economically.

When a product can simultaneously:

• Improve fuel efficiency

• Reduce operating costs

• Lower carbon emissions

…it’s worth paying attention.

Sustainability That Also Makes Financial Sense

A lot of sustainability conversations revolve around trade-offs.

Companies are asked to spend money today to reduce environmental impact tomorrow.

Brian’s approach flips that equation.

Instead of requiring companies to sacrifice profitability, the technology aims to reduce emissions while saving money at the same time.

For fleet operators facing both rising fuel costs and increasing pressure to meet decarbonization goals, that alignment matters.

It transforms sustainability from a compliance exercise into a business opportunity.

The Entrepreneurial Side of the Story

Beyond the technology itself, Brian’s journey is also a reminder of how entrepreneurship often begins.

Not with a perfectly planned startup.

But with an unexpected turning point.

After decades in corporate engineering, Brian suddenly found himself at a crossroads during the pandemic. Instead of trying to replicate the same career path, he took a chance on something new.

He stepped into the role of founder.

And like many founders, he’s been navigating the messy middle of building awareness, creating partnerships, and earning trust in a market that doesn’t easily accept new ideas.

Why Conversations Like This Matter

One of the themes we explore often on the Well Aware Podcast is the intersection between innovation, sustainability, and human resilience.

Brian’s story touches all three.

It’s about an engineer who understands diesel engines deeply.It’s about a technology that could quietly improve how fleets operate.And it’s about the persistence required to bring a new idea into industries that value proven results.

If the solution gains traction, it may not make headlines every day.

But sometimes the most impactful innovations are the ones that simply make existing systems a little more efficient, a little cleaner, and a little smarter.

Learn More

If you operate diesel fleets, heavy equipment, generators, or logistics infrastructure and want to explore how improved fuel efficiency could affect your operations, Brian recommends visiting Decarbonize5.com to experiment with fuel savings and emissions reduction calculators.

And if you want to hear the full conversation, watch or listen to the latest Well Aware Podcast episode on YouTube and Libsyn.

It’s a chance to hear Brian’s insights firsthand and see how practical sustainability, smart engineering, and entrepreneurial grit come together in a way that actually makes a difference.