Increase the effectiveness of your fleet: Achieve success with fast-charging, converted e-transporters.
Increase the effectiveness of your fleet: Achieve success with fast-charging, converted e-transporters.
Up to 425 kilometers of range after conversion, without the cost of a new vehicle? This is not a dream of the future, but your opportunity to increase the efficiency of your fleet. Rising diesel prices support this; the federal KsNI funding ran until 2024 and has been discontinued.
The topic briefly and concisely
The state KsNI funding subsidized the conversion of diesel vans until 2024 with up to 80% of the additional costs; since August 2024, no new funding calls are planned.
A diesel-to-electric (DTE) conversion protects your investments in expensive special equipment and is often more than 50% cheaper than a comparable new purchase.
Converted e-transporters achieve ranges of up to 425 km and charge with 135 kW DC power, qualifying them for over 95% of daily operations.
The electrification of commercial vehicle fleets is a challenge for many companies. High investment costs, bureaucratic hurdles, and concerns about insufficient range often slow down progress. However, there is a pragmatic solution that allows you to increase the efficiency of your fleet through fast-charging, converted electric vans. The conversion converts your proven existing vehicles into powerful electric vans. This approach preserves your capital; it was state-subsidized until 2024 with up to 80% of the additional costs. This article shows you how to successfully take this path, optimize your Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), and set the course for future-proof logistics.
Why switching to electric vans is strategically smart now
Pressure on fleet operators is growing: The EU's Clean Vehicles Directive (CVD) has been demanding binding quotas for clean vehicles in public contracts since 2021. The KsNI funding period of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) ran until 2024 and has expired. Conversion is the answer to these challenges and offers you four decisive advantages.
Classifying the 80% subsidy: The KsNI directive subsidized the additional costs of converting commercial vehicles by up to 80 percent.
Strengthening the circular economy: Instead of an expensive new purchase, you extend the service life of your proven vehicles by at least ten years.
Protecting investments: Expensive custom bodies are preserved, which reduces overall costs by up to 60% compared to a new vehicle with a comparable body.
Eliminating CO₂ emissions: Each converted van saves an average of 8 tons of CO₂ per year.
This combination of economic and emission-related benefits makes the electrification of your existing fleet the first choice. The next step is a clearly structured plan to realize these advantages in a calculable way.
Your 4-point plan for fleet electrification with a view to subsidies
A pragmatic approach is the key to correctly classifying funding and increasing the efficiency of your fleet with fast-charging, converted e-transporters. Use this checklist to safely navigate the process:
Conduct a needs analysis: Analyze your current routes and identify those vehicles with a daily mileage of less than 400 kilometers. Our experts will support you in evaluating the potential for a conversion.
Take advantage of a free funding analysis: We will check for you, with no obligation, which of your vehicles qualified for the 80 percent funding and the 40 percent grant for charging infrastructure, and which programs can be considered today.
Plan charging infrastructure: A HEERO eTransporter charges to 80 percent in around 45 minutes at a 135 kW DC fast-charging station. We will plan the optimal charging infrastructure with you, which was eligible for up to 40% funding.
Prepare application: The KsNI directive ran until 2024; no new calls for funding are planned. We will prepare all the necessary documents for you.
With this clear roadmap, the bureaucracy becomes manageable. But what does the calculation look like in practice when considering the total cost of ownership?
Costs in plain language: TCO analysis of DTE retrofitting vs. new purchase
The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is the decisive key figure for the cost-effectiveness of your fleet. A DTE conversion significantly reduces the TCO. Let's look at an example: a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a special body. The analysis of the total costs shows a clear picture.
After deducting the 80 percent subsidy available until 2024, the conversion often cost less than half of a comparable new electric vehicle. At the same time, ongoing costs for energy and maintenance are reduced by over 50% compared to diesel. While a diesel van incurs costs of around 18 euros per 100 kilometers, the converted electric van costs only around 7 euros. Calculated over a retention period of ten years, this results in savings of over 50,000 euros per vehicle. These figures prove that sustainability and economic efficiency go hand in hand when the technology is right.
Technology that convinces: Focused on range and charging power
Practical suitability determines success in daily operations. Our DTE solutions are designed for demanding use. A HEERO DTE Sprinter achieves a real-world range of up to 425 kilometers. This is made possible by a battery with 110 kWh gross and 96 kWh net capacity. This allows you to cover 95% of all typical application scenarios in distribution transport and trade.
Charging performance is equally crucial for fleet effectiveness. Here are the facts:
DC Fast Charging: As standard, our converted vans charge with up to 135 kW direct current (DC).
Short Downtimes: In just 30 minutes, energy is charged for another 200 kilometers.
AC Charging: Overnight charging at a 22 kW wallbox is also possible without any problems.
These performance data often even exceed those of new electric vans straight from the factory. With the right conversion solution, your proven van becomes a technological pioneer. In order to finance this technology, understanding the funding landscape is crucial.
Funding pots and deadlines: Which subsidies were recently possible
The Federal Government has supported the transition to clean commercial vehicles through the "Climate-friendly Commercial Vehicles and Infrastructure" (KsNI) funding directive. This program was the central instrument for achieving the ambitious targets of the Clean Vehicles Directive. The KsNI funding ran until 2024; no new calls for funding are planned since August 2024.
Up to 80 percent of the additional investment costs for vehicle conversion were funded. In addition, there was a grant of 40 percent for the construction of the necessary charging infrastructure on the company premises. It was important that the applications had to be submitted before the order was placed. Our funding experts will guide you through the entire process and ensure that your application meets all formal requirements. Please note that this information is for general guidance and does not replace legal or funding advice.
Start your funding analysis: Answer three questions and receive your grant roadmap with the status of the funding programs.
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More useful links
The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) provides comprehensive information on climate protection in transport and on commercial vehicles with alternative drivetrains.
The Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) offers detailed information on the Climate Protection and Mobility (KsNI) funding program.
The Federal Funding Database provides information about the funding program for e-commercial vehicle applications and the associated infrastructure.
The National Centre for Charging Infrastructure offers specific information on the subject of charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles.
Transport & Environment has published a study showing that electric vans are, on the whole, more cost-effective than diesel vehicles.
DEKRA offers insights into the retrofitting of trucks to electric drive.
The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) provides information about the task force for retrofitting to alternative drivetrains.
