Austria is expected to make the eighth call for the funding program in autumn 2025 EBIN - zero-emission buses and infrastructure start. Transport companies, municipalities and associations should now prepare to benefit from up to 80% funding for zero-emission buses and 40% for charging and refueling infrastructure. As a Bavarian bus manufacturer HEERO Motors Do we deliver with HEERO Mid-low-floor eMinibus The perfect product for Austrian EBIN projects.
The Austrian Federal Government has enshrined in the National Energy and Climate Plan that it will be climate-neutral by 2040. Since 2021, EBIN has been supporting the transition in public transportation upon battery-electric, trolleybus and fuel cell buses as well as the required infrastructure.
By mid-2026, at least 579 buses are to be converted to zero-emission engines. With a budget of €13 million, the seventh call was fully exhausted in just a few weeks - a clear sign of high demand.
HEERO Motors from Ismaning near Munich develops and produces electric minibuses. The proximity to Austria ensures short supply chains and quick response times. The supply of spare parts is easy thanks to the basic Mercedes Sprinter.
German training and support ensure smooth operation and score points in the EBIN evaluation criterion “Project quality”.
Under normal conditions (half load, moderate topography), the HEERO eMinibus achieves a realistic range of 300 km - enough for long rounds in cities such as Vienna or Graz without intermediate charging.
The permanent synchronous motor drives directly onto the rear axle. The omission of the angle gearbox means that all transmission oil changes, revisions and expensive repairs are no longer necessary. In the usual 12-year depreciation cycle of a municipal bus, this saves an estimated 15,000€ in maintenance costs and prevents downtime.
A ten-bus project thus receives funding of 520,000€ and an own contribution of 130,000€. It saves up to 19,000€ per bus in energy costs per year and avoids around 57 t of CO₂ per year.
Austria's eighth EBIN call offers the most attractive conditions for zero-emission minibus projects to date. HEERO Motors As a Bavarian local supplier, the mid-low floor eMiniBus delivers an almost unrivalled product: 137kWh battery, over 300 km range, HEERO Direct Drive without an angle drive, 80% fully eligible for funding.
Anyone who now specifies project ideas, reserves consultation appointments and prepares the submission will start 2026 with maximum funding, minimal operating costs and a clear climate contribution to Austrian public transport of the future.
Act now! Because the pole position for EBIN 8 is only one contact away - for HEERO minibus experts >
In Austria, demand for diesel-to-electric conversions is still too low, as little is known about the more cost-effective changeover using the unique HEERO technology. The current call for funding in Germany, on the other hand, is already taking retrofits into account and is even being funded with 80% of the total conversion costs. According to Section 4.1 of the guidelines, the 8th edition of EBIN is therefore expected to support only new vehicles or day registrations of class M3.
Buses and infrastructure are subject to a 5-year operating obligation from the time they are put into operation.
Yes The electricity must come from renewable sources; verification requirement in the monitoring report.
The design without an angle gearbox eliminates transmission revisions and downtime due to technical problems, reduces noise and maintenance.
No It is a practice-oriented derivative of two typical 6-year transmission revisions within the usual 12-year depreciation period for municipal buses. Thanks to HEERO Direct Drive, these planned costs are completely eliminated.
Direct the Discover HEERO eMinibus - and request a test drive right away.
FFG eBin program page (https://www.ffg.at/ebin) - Overview of Z, funding quotas, submission deadlines and contact information for the EBIN program
EBIN 7 tender guide (Start PDF download directly) - Detailed rules on funding subjects, evaluation criteria, deadlines and funding processing
FFG eCall portal (application system) - Platform for the actual submission of project documents for EBIN and other FFG programs
Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) - Official information on the Federal Ministry's funding policy, guidelines and press releases
NextGenerationEU — Information about the RRF - Background on EU recovery funding that co-finances programmes such as EBIN
