Australian engineering, construction and remediation contractor Duratec has started electrifying its vehicle fleet as part of a broader strategy to reduce diesel use across its operations.
The company has acquired an initial eight fully electric BYD vehicles, along with an electric van, as it begins replacing diesel-powered utility vehicles. One of the new EVs will operate as a loan vehicle for employees, giving staff the opportunity to experience electric vehicles as part of Duratec’s efforts to encourage wider workforce adoption.
The fleet transition forms part of Duratec’s inaugural Sustainability Report, which establishes FY26 as the company’s emissions baseline and sets a target to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions intensity by between 30 and 50 per cent by 2035.
For fleet operators, Duratec’s approach highlights how electrification can form part of a wider program to reduce fossil-fuel consumption rather than being treated as a standalone vehicle procurement exercise.
Beyond passenger and light commercial vehicles, the company is also targeting diesel use at project sites. Duratec has introduced hybrid and battery energy storage system solutions in remote locations and deployed its first fully electric forklift.
Telematics is also playing a role. Trials involving Blue Diamond hybrid generators have helped Duratec develop a longer-term strategy for generator right-sizing, with the aim of operating generators at an optimal 70–80 per cent load and reducing unnecessary diesel consumption.
Duratec Chief Operations Officer Tristan Rees said the company wanted to demonstrate that infrastructure delivery and decarbonisation could progress together.
“Duratec is committed to supporting Australia’s transition and we’re demonstrating that we can continue to deliver resilient infrastructure projects while enabling decarbonisation,” Rees said.
He said Duratec also sees early adoption of lower-emission technologies as a way to influence behaviour across the organisation.
“As early adopters amongst peers, we’re setting a culture across the Group to embrace green technology and innovation,” Rees said.
“Through investment, innovative approaches and measuring our emissions, we can play our part in supporting Australia’s decarbonisation goals.”
For businesses operating mixed fleets across offices, construction sites and remote locations, Duratec’s program provides an example of how EVs, energy storage, telematics and equipment electrification can be combined to progressively reduce diesel dependency.
Rather than waiting for every vehicle or piece of equipment to have an electric replacement, the company is starting with applications where the technology can already be deployed while gathering operational experience for the next stage of its transition.
