Hilti UK rolls out Kia EVs to push for carbon neutrality

Kia announced that Hilti has started rolling out the former’s electric vehicles (EV) as part of the construction solutions company’s thrust towards carbon neutrality by 2023.

In a statement, the Korean automaker said its e-Niro 4+ will replace Hilti’s more than 200 cars across the United Kingdom. According to Kia, the soon-to-be-replaced units are all diesel-powered.

“The change to EVs across the business is expected to reduce Hilti’s total global emissions by some 48 percent,” Kia said.

Prior to the move, Hilti conducted an internal research to ensure that the new vehicle would be fit for purpose. The study showed that on the average, Hilti employees in the UK drive 111 miles per day (with some reaching as much as 250 miles).

“As well as extensive internal polling, Hilti also looked at other factors including the EV innovation pipeline offered by each car brand to guarantee the availability of vehicles in other rollouts, reliability and safety, and available financial benefits for staff. The chosen Kia will require less than one charge per day for the average Hilti employee, and as part of the rollout, all employees are to be supplied with a charging station at their home, free of charge,” Kia shared.

In 2021, Hilti has already replaced 35 percent of its fleet with eco-friendly models, aims to hit 50 percent by the end of 2022, and change the remaining half by 2024. Apart from cars, Hilti has 300 vans that are planned to be replaced too.

Hilti Head of Finance and Head of Sustainability Annette Boren said the focus on the broader benefits of electric vehicles show how the firm approaches sustainability efforts in general.

“All of our sustainability efforts are ultimately to benefit the wider environment rather than us as a business. Our target of carbon neutrality is to ensure we are in line with global efforts to tackle climate change, but we have long focused on sustainability efforts in all areas of our business, with initiatives like our tool recycling scheme. Choosing Kia was a strategic choice as we are confident their EV pipeline is strong enough to support us through further rollouts in the future,” she elaborated.

For his part, Kia UK General Manager for Fleet and Remarketing John Hargreaves said the Hilti’s program is “another great example of how seamlessly Kia’s electric cars can fit into a busy fleet with exacting requirements.”

“With a reassuring 282-mile range from just one charge, a practical interior and a big boot, the e-Niro ‘4+’ alleviates many of the typical concerns fleets have when going electric. Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile warranty as standard across the whole range, great residual values and low total cost of ownership add to the attraction,” he added.

Photos from Kia

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