The new federal funding call has been launched. Find out how to cover up to 80% of the additional costs of electrifying your bus fleet and why upgrading existing vehicles is a strategically smart option.
The Federal Government has approved the new call for funding to support alternative drive systems for buses in passenger transport for 2025. For fleet operators in municipalities and companies, this is an opportunity to make the transition to zero-emission engines cost-effective. Ensure the future viability of your fleet through targeted investments in battery and fuel cell technology.
Increasing operating costs and strict emissions requirements pose enormous challenges for bus fleet operators. Electrification is the logical step, but investment costs for new e-buses are high. With the new 2025 funding call from the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV), the gap between diesel and electric is significantly narrowing. The program not only subsidizes the purchase of new vehicles, but also explicitly the conversion of existing buses to alternative drives.
For fleet managers, this means that they can preserve the proven substance of their vehicles and at the same time set the course for emission-free and economical operation. HEERO is your partner to make the most of this opportunity.
Project outlines for the funding of buses with alternative drives can be submitted until August 31, 2025.
Support is provided for new vehicles (battery/fuel cell), the conversion of existing buses and the necessary infrastructure with 80% of the additional costs.
The conversion of existing vehicles is an eligible and economically attractive alternative to buying new ones, in particular for fleets with special structures, such as bus cabins.
The Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) has launched the decisive funding call for 2025 to switch to climate-friendly bus fleets. Transport companies can submit their project outlines by August 31, 2025. Applications will be approved in autumn 2025, immediately after the adoption of the Federal Budget Act. Since the Directive was launched in 2021, funding has already been approved for around 3,500 buses, underlining the enormous potential of the program.
80% of additional investment costs are funded compared to a conventional diesel bus. This significantly reduces the financial hurdle for the changeover. The award is carried out in a competitive process in which criteria such as CO₂ efficiency and operational concept are assessed. This paves the way for rapid and comprehensive decarbonization of public transport.
The focus of the new funding round is on a holistic transformation of bus fleets. The program is designed to be open to technology and supports the solutions that best suit your application profile. Funding covers several key areas:
Battery buses: Classic e-buses and trolleybuses are fully eligible for funding. Fuel cell buses: Vehicles powered by hydrogen, including those with range extender technology, are also subsidized.
Vehicle conversions: A central point is the promotion of D2E-conversion of existing diesel buses to battery or fuel cell drives.
Related infrastructure: The necessary charging, hydrogen refueling and maintenance infrastructure is also supported at up to 40% of the costs.
Especially for fleets with expensive special structures Is the Encouraging retrofitting an economically superior alternative to buying a new one. In this way, you protect your previous investments and rely on the circular economy principle.
While the purchase of new e-buses often involves delivery times of over 18 months, the conversion offers a quick and resource-saving alternative. Our D2E-conversion of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter only takes 10 days. Not only do you keep your proven vehicle chassis and valuable construction, but you also benefit from lower total costs (TCO). The funding guideline explicitly recognizes this advantage and supports the conversion as an equivalent measure.
This is particularly relevant for municipalities and bus companies that cannot or do not want to completely replace their specialized fleets. With a range of up to 300 km, our converted minibuses prove their full practicality. Use the Fleet electrification opportunity and reduce your operating costs sustainably. The combination of investment protection and government funding makes retrofitting the smartest form of modernization.
The path to funding is clearly structured and can be planned. In order to make optimal use of the deadline of August 31, 2025, we recommend a systematic approach. We're with you every step of the way, from initial analysis to final submission.
1. Needs analysis and design: We analyse your current fleet profile and define the appropriate electrification concept together — whether it's a new purchase or a conversion.
2. Preparation of the project outline: Based on the analysis, we create a meaningful project outline that highlights all competition-relevant criteria such as CO₂ savings potential and profitability.
3. Submission via EASY-online: The final submission of documents is made on time via the official federal funding portal “Easy-online”.
4. Approval and implementation: After approval in autumn 2025, we immediately start implementation, whether it's ordering new vehicles or planning the D2E conversion in our factory.
A detailed plan is the key to success. With our Checklist for the funding application Make sure no important details are overlooked.
An emission-free bus is only as good as the infrastructure that supplies it. The BMV funding guidelines take this fact into account and subsidize the development of the necessary charging and refueling infrastructure with up to 80%. This includes not only charging stations at the depot, but also planning, network connections and intelligent load management. A well-thought-out charging infrastructure is crucialto optimize operations and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO).
We offer you a comprehensive solution that includes the vehicle and the suitable charging infrastructure integrated from a single source. Whether you opt for battery buses or fuel cell buses, the funding covers the key costs. This makes the transition a complete success not only ecologically but also economically.
As a pioneer of circular economy in the commercial vehicle sector, we offer you a unique solution. The D2E-upgrading your existing fleet is not only sustainable, but also saves your budget and ensures the value of your special structures. We combine the reliability of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with our patented drive technology. The result is a minibus fleet that offers a range of up to 300 km and superior performance.
The current alternative drive bus funding 2025 now makes this step particularly attractive. HEERO is your innovative partner who supports you from funding advice to implementation and service. Request yours now personal advice on or book one Everyday test for freeto experience the performance of our vehicles for yourself.
The current funding call is subject to the final approval of the federal budget 2025. The submitted projects will only be approved after the Budget Act comes into force in autumn 2025. There is therefore a small residual risk, which is considered politically unlikely.
In most cases yes, especially if you own a vehicle with an expensive special structure (e.g. refrigerated box, workshop trolley). You save the costs of a completely new structure and benefit from a significantly shorter implementation time compared to the long delivery times for new vehicles. We would be happy to provide you with an individual TCO analysis.
The submitted project outlines are evaluated on the basis of several criteria. These include in particular the CO₂ prevention potential, the planned deployment context (e.g. urban vs. regional), the targeted electrification rate of your fleet and the specific funding requirement per CO2 saved.
Yes, we offer comprehensive advice and support throughout the application process. Our team of experts will help you create a convincing project outline and ensure that all necessary documents are submitted on time.
Our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter minibuses converted to electric drives have a practical range of up to 300 kilometers, depending on the configuration and operating profile. This makes them ideal for most daily passenger routes.
The pure D2E-conversion (diesel-to-electric) of a vehicle in our factory usually takes just 10 working days. This enables you to quickly reintegrate the modernized vehicle into your fleet.
that Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) offers comprehensive information on transport policy, funding programs and initiatives to decarbonize transport in Germany on its official website.
Through the federal EASY-online funding portal, applications for various federal funding programs, including Funding climate-friendly bus fleets, submitted digitally.
