A strategic guide to the new federal funding round for transport companies, municipalities and companies.
The federal government has launched a new round of funding for electric buses until the end of 2025. With up to 80% subsidy on additional investment costs, now is the decisive moment, the CO2-Save your fleet and set the course for the future This guide shows you the direct route to a successful funding application.
Increasing CO2-Prices and the requirements of the Clean Vehicles Directive put fleet operators under pressure to act. Electrifying the vehicle fleet is no longer an option, but a strategic necessity. The Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) has recognized this need and has launched a new, attractive funding round for the procurement and conversion of buses with alternative drives for 2025. This offers transport companies, municipalities and bus operators the opportunity to2-To massively accelerate savings while reducing total cost of ownership (TCO). As an experienced partner, HEERO is at your side to fully exploit this potential and make the transition pragmatic and solution-oriented.
The new federal funding for e-buses runs until the end of 2025 and subsidizes 80% of the additional investment costs compared to a diesel bus.
The CO2-Saving is the central evaluation metric for funding applications; a detailed forecast is crucial for success.
In addition to new vehicles, the conversion of existing buses and the necessary charging infrastructure (up to 40%) are also explicitly eligible for funding.
The Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) has launched a new funding call for buses with alternative drives, which runs until the end of 2025. Transport companies can submit project outlines for planned new purchases or conversions by August 31, 2025. Battery buses, fuel cell buses and the associated charging and maintenance infrastructure are being funded. Since 2021, around 3,500 buses have already been funded with a volume of 1.2 billion euros.
The funding rate of 80 percent is particularly attractive on additional investment expenditure compared to a diesel bus. This initiative is a central element in achieving the goals of BMV guideline for buses to achieve. The award is carried out in a competitive process in which the CO2-Avoidance is a decisive criterion. This underlines the need for a well-thought-out and well-justified application strategy.
Reducing greenhouse gases is the stated goal of the Federal Government and the key figure for your funding application. A single electric bus can produce a significant amount of CO compared to its diesel counterpart2 save; the 1,000 e-buses that have already been subsidized avoid around 830,000 tons of CO over their lifetime2. The savings are around 550 grams per kilometer, which quickly adds up in heavy city traffic.
The precise calculation and presentation of the expected CO2 savings is the lever for a successful application. In order to fully exploit the potential, you should consider the following aspects:
Use of 100% green electricity to maximize CO2 reduction.
Analysis of specific line profiles for accurate consumption forecasts.
Taking into account efficiency gains from modern heat pump systems, which save up to 75% of energy.
Documentation of the expected annual mileage per vehicle.
A detailed Checklist for the funding application helps to collect all relevant data. The changeover is therefore not only an ecological benefit, but also a strong argument for the approval of funding.
At around 220,000 euros, the purchase costs for an e-minibus are significantly higher than those of a diesel bus, which costs around 120,000 euros. The funding starts right here: Up to 80 percent of these additional investment costs, i.e. the difference of 100,000 euros, are subsidized. A funding rate of up to 40 percent can be applied for for the necessary charging infrastructure. A clever alternative is the D2E conversion of existing vehicles, which is explicitly eligible for funding, provided that it is cheaper than a new purchase.
This not only saves the budget, but is also a prime example of the circular economy we live in. Die high funding rate makes the switch economically viable even for small and medium-sized bus companies. The exact calculation of these costs is a crucial part of the application process.
The funding programmes are not a voluntary subsidy, but a response to the EU's legal framework. The Clean Vehicles Directive (CVD), implemented in Germany by the Clean Vehicle Procurement Act (SaubfahrzeugBeschG), prescribes binding minimum quotas. For the period up to the end of 2025, public clients must achieve a quota of 45% of “clean” vehicles when procuring buses. At least half of these, i.e. 22.5% of new purchases, must be completely emission-free.
From 2026, these ratios will even rise to 65% and 32.5%. These requirements increase pressure on municipalities and public companies to rapidly modernize their fleets. Die Electrifying the bus fleet is therefore the direct way to ensure legal compliance. Current funding is the instrument for managing this transformation economically.
The process from idea to approval of funding for CO2-Saving through e-bus funding 2025 requires a structured approach. We're with you every step of the way:
1. Needs analysis and market exploration: We analyse your fleet and identify suitable vehicle and charging solutions.
2nd Economic and CO2 forecast: We prepare a well-founded TCO analysis and calculate the CO2-Potential savings as a basis for the application.
3rd Funding audit: We are examining the combinability of federal and state funding in order to maximize the funding rate. An overview can be found under Federal vs. State Funding.
4th Preparation of the project outline: We support you in preparing the application documents for the federal EASY-online portal.
5th Submission and implementation: After submission on time by August 31, 2025, the call for tenders must be submitted within 6 months of approval.
An early start is crucialbecause the funds are awarded in a competitive process and demand is high. Careful preparation ensures you the best opportunities in the procurement process.
An e-bus is only as reliable as its charging infrastructure. The BMV has recognized this and is promoting the development of the necessary infrastructure with up to 40% of the costs. This includes not only the charging stations themselves, but also network connections, buffer tanks and intelligent charging management systems. Even higher funding rates are possible for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Charging infrastructure should be planned in parallel with vehicle procurementto avoid bottlenecks.
A feasibility study, which is also eligible for funding, can provide clarity in advance. Integration into the Charging infrastructure promotion is a critical success factor for every electrification project. This makes the transition to an emission-free fleet a well-rounded and economically viable overall solution.
E-bus funding 2025 offers a unique opportunity that CO2-Significantly save your fleet and set the course for a sustainable future. With subsidies of up to 80% on additional costs and 40% on infrastructure, the transition will be more economical than ever before. The key to success lies in a strategically planned and convincingly justified application, which the CO2-Focuses on potential savings and profitability.
HEERO is more than just a vehicle manufacturer; we are your innovative partner for the entire transformation. We support you from the initial analysis to the successful operation of your e-fleet. Request your personal consultation now or book an everyday test for free and let us shape the future of your fleet together.
Yes, the guideline for promoting alternative bus drives explicitly includes the conversion. The prerequisite is that the conversion is more economical than buying a new one and that the vehicle then has a remaining life of at least 8 years or 600,000 km.
Additional investment costs describe the difference between the purchase price of an emission-free bus and that of a comparable bus with a conventional diesel engine. Only this difference is the basis for calculating the 80 percent funding.
No, the charging, refueling and maintenance infrastructure required to operate the buses can be applied for directly in the same application as the vehicles. The funding rate for this is 40%.
After a positive decision, you must tender the vehicles within 6 months. The binding order of the buses must be made within 12 months of approval.
Cumulation of funding is possible in principle, but must not exceed the EU's maximum allowable aid intensities. A detailed examination on a case-by-case basis is necessary and is carried out by us as part of the consultation.
If you are a public contractor or act on their behalf, you are required by law to comply with minimum procurement quotas for clean and zero-emission vehicles. The CVD states that 45% of new buses must be “clean” by the end of 2025, half of them emission-free.
that Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) provides comprehensive information on funding programs in the areas of mobility and transport, including current guidelines for alternative drives in public transport.
The official website of the European Union (EUR-Lex) provides the complete Text of the Clean Vehicles Directive (EU) 2019/1161) ready to set binding minimum quotas for the procurement of clean vehicles.
The federal funding portal (EASY-online) is the central platform for digital submission of funding applications with the Federal Government, including project outlines for e-bus funding.
