Optimize fleet electrification: Choose a retrofit that is compatible with your existing workshop infrastructure.
Optimize fleet electrification: Choose a retrofit that is compatible with your existing workshop infrastructure.
Up to 425 km range after an upgrade – without the cost and effort of purchasing a new vehicle. In view of rising diesel prices, the conversion of your fleet remains to be economically examined; the KsNI funding ran until 2024, new funding calls are not planned.
The topic briefly and concisely
The KsNI funding contributed up to 80% for vehicle conversions and 40% for charging infrastructure until 2024; new funding calls are not planned.
A compatible retrofit maintains the value of expensive special constructions and integrates into existing workshop processes, avoiding high investments.
Converting to electric drive reduces the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by up to 60% compared to diesel due to lower energy and maintenance costs.
The pressure to electrify commercial vehicle fleets is constantly growing, driven by high operating costs, strict climate regulations such as the Clean Vehicles Directive, and the desire for more sustainability. However, many decision-makers hesitate due to feared high investments and complex conversions in the workshop. The solution often lies not in an expensive new purchase, but in choosing a conversion that is compatible with the existing workshop infrastructure. This approach, the core of the HEERO philosophy, not only protects your budget by preserving valuable specialized bodies, but also clearly categorizes the state funding of up to 80% of the additional costs that applied until 2024 – the program has been discontinued since August 2024.
Pressure to act and opportunity: Why the time for retrofitting is ripe now
Municipalities and companies face the challenge of making their fleets more climate-friendly. Since 2021, the EU directive "Clean Vehicles Directive" (CVD) has already prescribed mandatory minimum quotas for the procurement of low-emission vehicles. For light commercial vehicles, the quota was 38.5% until 2025. At the same time, unpredictable diesel prices and rising CO₂ pricing are noticeably burdening the total cost of ownership. This is exactly where the funding landscape came in: The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) supported the transition with significant subsidies; the KsNI ran until 2024 and has been discontinued since August 2024. Even without this financial assistance, the conversion remains a strategically smart step, not only ecologically but also economically. The decisive question is no longer whether to electrify, but how to succeed with the transition with maximum efficiency.
Your 4-point action plan for seamless fleet electrification
A structured approach is the key to success. With this checklist, you can navigate safely through the process:
Subsidy analysis: Check your eligibility for the KsNI subsidy. This covered up to 80% of the additional investment costs for conversion and 40% for the necessary charging infrastructure. The KsNI ran until 2024 and was discontinued as of August 2024.
TCO calculation: Determine the Total Cost of Ownership. A conversion reduces operating costs by up to 60% due to eliminated oil changes, lower brake wear, and cheaper "fuel stops".
Infrastructure audit: Evaluate your workshop. HEERO conversions are designed to be integrated into existing service structures with minimal adjustments, saving thousands of euros.
Solution selection: Based on the audit, decide whether a targeted conversion of your existing vehicles or the purchase of new HEERO electric transporters is the better strategy.
With this plan, it becomes clear how the financial and technological course must be set for a successful transition.
Funding pots and deadlines: What the 80% subsidy of the KsNI directive covered until 2024
The funding program "Climate-friendly Commercial Vehicles and Infrastructure" (KsNI) of the BMDV was the central instrument for supporting your fleet modernization. It subsidized the additional investment costs of a conversion compared to a diesel reference vehicle by up to 80%. Specifically, this meant that four-fifths of the difference between the cost of the conversion and the cost of a new diesel vehicle was borne by the state. The installation of charging stations at the depot was also funded at 40%. The crucial information: The KsNI ran until 2024 and was discontinued as of August 2024; no new funding calls are planned. Projects that have already been approved will be fully funded. We clarify on an individual basis which programs are currently open for e-bus funding in 2025 and for other vehicle classes. In addition to the direct subsidies, the long-term savings are the actual economic lever.
TCO comparison: Why retrofitting often surpasses purchasing new
The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is the decisive key figure for fleet managers. It comprises all costs over the entire service life of a vehicle. This is where retrofitting shows its true strengths:
Preservation of values: Expensive custom bodies (e.g., refrigerated boxes, workshop equipment, refuse compactors) remain fully preserved. A new purchase here would quickly incur costs of over 50,000 euros for the body alone.
Lower operating costs: An electric drive has significantly fewer wear parts than an internal combustion engine, which reduces maintenance costs by over 50%.
Stable energy costs: While diesel prices fluctuate heavily, electricity costs, especially when using own solar power, are calculable and usually 40–60% lower.
No CO₂ tax: Electric vehicles are exempt from the CO₂ levy, which means savings of several thousand euros per vehicle over five years.
These factors make an analysis of the total cost of ownership a must. The financial advantages are evident, but they are based on a robust and everyday-usable technology.
The HEERO technology: Performance and range for everyday work
A conversion is only useful if the performance in everyday work is convincing. HEERO relies on field-tested components here. A Sprinter converted with the DTE kit achieves a range of up to 425 km. The basis for this is a battery with a gross capacity of 110 kWh or a net capacity of 96 kWh. Charging is done at a DC fast charging station with up to 135 kW, which enables a charge from 20% to 80% in under 40 minutes. This technological approach follows the principle of the circular economy: instead of scrapping a proven vehicle, its life cycle is extended through a technical upgrade. This not only conserves resources but also maintains the familiar operation for the drivers. Find the right conversion solution for you here. A decisive, often overlooked advantage, however, is the integration into your existing service processes.
Seamless Integration: How the conversion fits into your workshop
The greatest lever for reducing costs during electrification often lies in the infrastructure. You do not necessarily have to build a completely new high-voltage workshop for 500,000 euros. If you choose a conversion that is compatible with the existing workshop infrastructure, you save capital and time. The HEERO systems are developed in such a way that your existing technicians can carry out much of the pending maintenance work themselves after certified training. This compatibility significantly reduces the hidden costs and complexity of electrification. You continue to use your lifting platforms, your staff, and your processes. This ensures high vehicle availability and makes the transition to e-mobility a calculable project instead of a leap into the deep end. This pragmatic approach ensures that your fleet continues to run without long periods of downtime.
More useful links
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive overview of electromobility, its definitions, history, and technological aspects.
The Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr (BMDV) provides compact information on electromobility.
Statista delivers current statistics on the number of electric cars in Germany.
Roland Berger offers a publication on the topic of fleet electrification.
Elektromobilität.NRW provides information on new requirements for automotive workshops in the field of electromobility.
