Converting municipal tippers based on the Sprinter to electric drive for the municipal yard: Your guide to funding until 2024
Converting municipal tippers based on the Sprinter to electric drive for the municipal yard: Your guide to funding until 2024
Up to 425 kilometers of range after a conversion – without the costs of a new vehicle. For the transition of your municipal vehicles, please note: The federal KsNI funding program ran until 2024, and no new calls for funding are planned.
The topic briefly and concisely
Municipal dump trucks based on Sprinter chassis can be converted to electric drive through the DTE process (Diesel-to-Electric) to avoid expensive new purchases.
The BMDV funding (KsNI) subsidized the conversion with up to 80% of the additional costs until 2024; since August 2024, no new funding calls are planned.
The conversion reduces the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) through lower energy and maintenance costs and complies with the Clean Vehicles Directive.
For municipal depots, electrification is becoming mandatory. Rising diesel prices, the requirements of the Clean Vehicles Directive (CVD) and political pressure to reduce CO₂ emissions demand pragmatic solutions. But what to do with expensive special vehicles such as a Sprinter-based tipper whose body works perfectly? The solution is to have your municipal Sprinter-based tippers for the depot converted to electric drive. This approach, also known as Diesel-to-Electric (DTE), not only protects your budget but also preserves the value of your existing fleet. Learn how to classify the government subsidy of up to 80% of the additional costs, which ran until 2024, and how to significantly lower the Total Cost of Ownership of your vehicles.
The pressure to act: Why construction sites must electrify now
The era of diesel engines in municipal use is coming to an end. The European Clean Vehicles Directive (CVD), implemented in Germany by the Clean Vehicles Procurement Act (SaubFahrzeugBeschG), mandates binding minimum quotas for low-emission vehicles. By the end of 2025, 38.5 percent of newly procured light commercial vehicles must be "clean". This regulatory pressure coincides with volatile diesel prices and rising operating costs. For municipal depots, this means a dual challenge: meeting statutory requirements while simultaneously facing cost pressures. Solely focusing on the purchase of new electric vehicles often ignores the value of existing, highly specialized bodies. Retrofitting is the strategically and economically superior alternative here. With a targeted retrofitting of your fleet, you do not just react to the pressure, but actively shape the transition.
Your 4-point action plan for successful retrofit
A structured approach is the key to success. Use this checklist to navigate safely through the process:
Fleet analysis and TCO assessment: Record the current status of your Sprinter tippers. Analyze driving profiles and operating costs to calculate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – the total costs over the entire service life.
Subsidy check (KsNI expired): Check your eligibility for relevant BMDV funding guidelines. The KsNI subsidized the conversion by up to 80% of the additional costs compared to a diesel vehicle until 2024.
Plan charging infrastructure: Design the necessary charging infrastructure at the depot. Funding for the investment costs was also provided for this.
Select implementation partner: Choose an experienced partner for the technical conversion. HEERO offers a patented solution specifically for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
These four steps form the roadmap for your successful Sprinter electrification and ensure maximum cost-effectiveness.
Financial advantages: Funding situation and TCO analysis in detail
KsNI in review: up to 80% subsidy for DTE conversion
The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) massively supported the transition to electromobility. The KsNI funding directive provided a rate of up to 80 percent for the conversion of existing vehicles. Eligible applicants were legal entities, which also included municipalities and their enterprises. The directive ran until 2024; new funding calls are not planned, and approved projects will be fully funded. The funding applied to the additional investment costs compared to a reference vehicle with a diesel engine. This significantly reduced the financial effort for the future-proof conversion. The planning security that such funding offers was a decisive factor.
More than acquisition: The TCO advantage of electrification
The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is the decisive key figure for fleet managers. While the initial conversion represents an investment, it often amortizes within a few years. The operating costs of an electric vehicle are significantly lower: electricity is cheaper than diesel, maintenance costs for oil changes or exhaust systems are completely eliminated, and vehicle tax is waived for ten years. Furthermore, the conversion leads to a CO₂ saving of up to 100 percent in operation, which not only improves the environmental balance sheet but also protects against future CO₂ levies. The analysis of your individual TCO reveals the concrete savings potential.
HEERO-Technology: Performance meets circular economy
Up to 425 km range for demanding everyday municipal depot operations
Practical suitability is the focus of every conversion. A Sprinter tipper converted to electric drive by HEERO achieves a range of up to 425 kilometers. This is based on a battery with 110 kWh gross or 96 kWh net capacity. At a DC fast charging station, the vehicle charges with up to 135 kW, which enables short downtime at the depot. These performance data ensure that the daily tasks of the municipal depot can be completed without compromise. The technology is therefore not a dream of the future, but a robust solution available today for your electrified platform truck.
Circular economy in action: Why converting is more sustainable
A tipper body is an expensive and long-lasting investment. Scrapping it when changing vehicles makes no sense from either an economic or an emissions standpoint. The conversion is a prime example of a functioning circular economy. You retain the valuable chassis and the special body of your Sprinter and merely replace the drivetrain. Compared to the production of a completely new vehicle, this saves enormous amounts of resources and CO₂ emissions. You extend the lifespan of your investment and act in the spirit of sustainability, a clear signal to citizens and politicians. This approach underlines why using existing vehicles is often the best choice.
Start your funding analysis: The final step to conversion
The federal KsNI funding ran until 2024; no new funding calls are planned. The decisive factor remains setting the course for a future-proof and economical fleet. Use our expertise to make the process smooth and cost-effective.
Start your funding analysis: Answer three questions and receive your subsidy roadmap with the current status of the funding programs.
To the free analysis
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Please note that the content presented here consists of general information and does not constitute legal or funding advice.
More useful links
Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr (BMDV) provides information on the funding guidelines for charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
Bundesministerium für Verkehr (BMV) offers comprehensive information on electromobility in Germany.
Bundesministerium für Verkehr (BMV) provides a detailed factsheet on the topic of electromobility specifically for municipalities.
Nationale Leitstelle Ladeinfrastruktur offers an overview of funding programs in the field of electromobility.
KfW Bank provides information on various funding opportunities for sustainable mobility for companies.
Zukunftsnetzwerk ÖPNV reports on federal funding for electric vehicles for municipalities.
Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz provides information on the framework conditions and incentives for electric vehicles.
Elektromobilität.NRW provides information on specific funding for electromobility for municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia.
