How to choose a Teltonika GPS tracker

The vehicle narrows the field faster than any other factor. Trucks and tractor units usually need a professional terminal that reads CAN and the tachograph: FMC650, FMM650, FMC640 or FMB640. Cars, vans and rental vehicles are well served by compact trackers. Trailers and machinery usually call for a device with flexible inputs, or one with a large battery.

See the truck trackers and car trackers pages for the models grouped by vehicle.

Write down what you want to see in the software, then pick the simplest device that delivers it.

• Location, trips and geofences only: a basic tracker such as FMB920 or FMC920 is enough.
• Fuel level and mileage from the vehicle's own CAN bus: a tracker with an integrated CAN processor, such as FMC150 or FMB140, or one that takes an external CAN adapter, such as FMC130.
• Tachograph files and driver activity downloaded remotely: a truck terminal such as FMC650.
• Plug-in installation with data from the OBD port: FMC003. Its datasheet lists OEM fuel level, odometer and up to 32 vehicle parameters.

The 2G-only models in our range are FMB920, FMB120, FMB140, FMP100 and FMB640. The others use 4G networks: LTE Cat 1, or LTE Cat M1 / NB-IoT on FMM650.

Which to choose depends on the mobile network your SIM cards will use. We do not predict what operators will do, so check the coverage and data plans your operator offers in the countries where the vehicles drive, and choose a 4G model if you want to stay independent of 2G availability. If you are unsure, ask us and we will help you compare.

Hard-wired trackers connect to power, ignition and optionally inputs and outputs. They are the right answer for fleets, because the device stays hidden and always powered, and they offer the most features.

FMC003 is a plug and play 4G tracker that goes into the OBD socket, and FMP100 is a 2G plug and play tracker powered from the cigarette lighter socket. Neither needs any wiring, which suits rentals, short-term use and cars where you do not want to touch the wiring. The trade-off is that they are easy to unplug.

Most trackers here have a backup battery that keeps them reporting for a while if the main power is cut. Most compact models carry a 170 mAh cell. FMC650 has a 550 mAh Ni-MH battery, and FMC234 has a 1000 mAh battery, the highest capacity in this guide.

If the device must keep working when disconnected, for example on a trailer or a piece of equipment, prefer the larger battery. Remember that the backup battery is a safety net, not a substitute for permanent power.

Most trackers in the range are rated IP41, which means they belong inside the vehicle. If the device may be exposed to water or dust, look at FMC234, whose datasheet specifies an IP67 casing, and at the waterproof FMC880. Also check the operating temperature range in the datasheet against your climate.

If you plan to add fuel level sensors, RFID readers or other serial devices, look for RS232 and RS485. FMC125 provides both on a compact body, and FMC650 offers two RS232 ports and one RS485. For temperature, humidity and other wireless sensors, check that Bluetooth LE is listed in the model's datasheet; it is on every new model we added to this range.

An impulse input is what you need to read a fuel flow meter: FMC130 and FMC234 both have two.

A tracker is only half of the system. Choose a model that your software decodes correctly. Tafi GPS shows live positions, trips, geofences, fuel and driver data, and TAFI Agent adds orders and route planning for transport companies. Teltonika devices can be configured and updated remotely with FOTA WEB, so you do not have to visit each vehicle for every change. Tafi's own decoder has dictionaries for FMC650, FMM650, FMC640, FMB640, FMC150, FMC130, FMC920, FMB120 and FMC880.

You do not have to standardise on one model. A typical company runs a professional terminal in the tractor units, a CAN-capable compact tracker in vans, and a basic tracker or a plug and play device in cars that only need a position. Since Tafi GPS reads all of them in one interface, the choice can follow each vehicle's needs instead of a single compromise.

Before you order, count the vehicles by type and write one line per type: what data you need, whether the vehicle has a tachograph, where the device will be mounted, and whether it will be permanently powered. That list is exactly what we need to prepare an offer.

Find your situation and start from the model on the right.

• Truck with tachograph: FMC650.
• Car or van, fuel and mileage from CAN, no adapter: FMC150 (4G) or FMB140 (2G).
• Flexible inputs, fuel flow meter, trailers: FMC130.
• Basic tracking at the lowest complexity: FMB920 (2G) or FMC920 (4G).
• Plug in and go: FMC003 (OBD, 4G) or FMP100 (cigarette lighter, 2G).
• Serial sensors: FMC125.
• Long autonomy and IP67: FMC234.
• Waterproof, LTE Cat 1: FMC880.