The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Construction firm declares electric vehicle ambition
Civil engineering contractor Kilmac is on the road to creating an allelectric fleet. The Tayside firm has invested in 15 electric vehicles for management and engineers.
Fast charging points have been installed at their Gemini Crescent head office in Dundee and at employees’ homes.
Kilmac managing director Athole McDonald is keen to see the company’s fleet of vans go electric.
Mr McDonald said: “We operate in a sector of industry which recognises times are changing and we have to continue to reduce our CO2 footprint.
“The change of the fleet to electric is an effective and readily available way of doing this.
“The vehicles are slightly more expensive for the business but far more efficient for the employees, reducing their tax bill by thousands.
“We have 15 company cars, ranging from Kia and Tesla to Mercedes and Audi.
“These vehicles are the most advanced right now, in a price range of £45,000 to £75,000.”
Mr McDonald said the 15-strong fleet of electric vehicles was a “stepping stone” for the business, which has a headcount of about 130 following recent appointments.
He hopes Kilmac’s fleet of 50 vans can also make the switch in the next 12 to 18 months.
“The plan is to phase the replacement of older vans with electric options.
“In the meantime, we have replaced 16 of the diesel fleet with more energy efficient Kangoos and Trafics.”
And longer-term, Mr McDonald hopes site plant can also be converted to electric power.
Kilmac has expanded its operations to Aberdeen and Edinburgh in recent years but remains headquartered in Tayside.
Mr McDonald said: “It would be nice to think the excavators and site plant can also be fitted with batteries.
“They can provide the huge amount of power that is required, with site-based chargers.
“We already have a good track record in moving towards a position of being carbon neutral.”
“The vehicles are slightly more expensive, but more efficient