How fleet operators benefit from the current BMV Directive and make electrification cost-effective.
The electrification of commercial vehicle fleets represents a major investment. However, with the right strategy, you can benefit significantly. The current funding round for e-buses and charging infrastructure offers subsidies of up to 80% and makes the switch more economical than ever before.
For municipalities and companies in Germany, the transition to zero-emission commercial vehicle fleets is a key challenge, driven by rising operating costs and stricter environmental regulations. The Federal Government is actively supporting this change with targeted programs. The “Guideline for the Promotion of Alternative Drive Systems for Buses in Passenger Transport” is a decisive lever in this regard. It significantly lowers the investment hurdles for the purchase of e-vehicles and the development of the necessary charging infrastructure. HEERO shows you how to make the most of this opportunity and future-proof your fleet.
Project outlines for e-bus funding can be submitted until August 31, 2025. The funding covers up to 80% of the additional costs for e-buses/conversions and 40% for charging infrastructure.
Both the purchase of new vehicles and the conversion of existing diesel vehicles are eligible for funding.
The year 2025 marks a decisive time for the transport revolution in Germany. The Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) is sending a strong signal with the “Guideline for the promotion of alternative bus drives in passenger transport.” Since 2021, around 3,500 buses have already been approved, which will save 2.8 million tons of CO₂ over their lifetime. For the period from 2021 to 2025, the Ministry is providing 500 million euros for the expansion of publicly available charging infrastructure alone.
Some of this funding comes from the German Development and Resilience Plan (DARP) and is co-financed by the EU facility NextGenerationEU. The combination of vehicle and infrastructure funding is the key to economical fleet electrification. These programs are specifically designed to cushion the higher purchase costs of e-vehicles and investments in charging infrastructure. This makes the transition predictable and profitable for logistics companies and municipal companies. The current funding period offers the opportunity to set the course for a sustainable and cost-efficient future.
The core of the current funding round is support in reducing emissions in passenger transport. Transport companies and other users from the bus industry are eligible to apply. The funding rate for the purchase or conversion of buses to battery or fuel cell drives amounts to up to 80% of additional investment expenditure compared to a diesel reference vehicle. A subsidy of up to 40% of the total costs is granted for the necessary charging infrastructure. Under certain conditions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can even receive a bonus of up to 20 percentage points. The following investments are eligible:
Purchase of battery buses, including trolleybuses.
Purchase of fuel cell buses.
The conversion of conventional buses to alternative drives, which is particularly relevant for fleets with expensive special structures.
Construction of the non-public charging infrastructure necessary for operation. Development of hydrogen refueling infrastructure.
Specific maintenance infrastructure for the new drive types.
This broad funding base enables holistic planning of the fleet conversion. Learn more about the benefits of upgrading an e-bus with funding and how you can maintain existing values. The next step is to submit the project outlines on time.
The application process is two-stage and competitive in order to identify the most effective projects. A new funding call was launched on July 7, 2025. The decisive deadline for submitting project outlines is August 31, 2025. Submission is made digitally via the online portal Easy-online. The submitted sketches are evaluated according to criteria such as CO₂ prevention, electrification rate and funding requirements.
Following a positive evaluation, applicants are invited to submit a formal funding application. The projects will be approved following the adoption of the Federal Budget Act in autumn 2025. Careful preparation is crucial, as our funding application checklist shows. The implementation of the program is coordinated by Project Management Agency Jülich (PtJ) and NOW GmbH. The time until the deadline should be used for detailed project planning.
An efficient charging infrastructure is the backbone of every e-fleet. The BMV Directive therefore explicitly promotes the construction of non-public charging points with up to 40% of investment costs. This includes both hardware and network connection costs. The planning of the charging infrastructure must meet the specific requirements of the company
These include overnight depot charging processes or opportunity charging on the route. The EU is also supporting the expansion through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF), which will provide over 578 million euros for charging infrastructure in heavy-duty transport by June 2025. Intelligent charging planning not only reduces investment costs through funding, but also operating costs through optimized charging cycles. The right sizing
The charging capacity and the choice of location are decisive for the efficiency of the entire system. Funding for battery buses is inextricably linked to infrastructure planning. This investment ensures the long-term performance of your electrified fleet.
Electrification doesn't have to mean buying a completely new fleet. Especially for municipalities or craft businesses with expensive special vehicles based on Sprinter, the conversion is an economically superior alternative. Die D2E conversion (diesel-to-electric) from HEERO not only saves resources in terms of the circular economy, but also your budget. The funding guideline supports the conversion with the same rate of up to 80% of the additional costs as a new purchase. This allows you to extend the life of your proven and already depreciated vehicles and at the same time Significantly reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). You protect your original investment in the special structure and benefit from lower energy and maintenance costs. The combination of value retention and a high 80 percent funding rate makes the conversion a pragmatic and solution-oriented choice. HEERO offers a comprehensive solution for this from a single source.
HEERO is your partner for the successful electrification of your commercial vehicle fleet. We not only offer highly innovative new e-vehicles and the patented D2E conversion based on the Mercedes Benz Sprinter, but also support you through the entire process. From the analysis of your requirements to detailed funding advice to the implementation of the appropriate charging infrastructure. Our solutions are tailored to the needs of logisticians, municipalities and craft businesses and impress with their performance and reliability.
We support you in preparing your project outline and help you achieve the maximum E-bus funding 2025 to secure. Take advantage of our expertise to take full advantage of the environmental and economic benefits of electric mobility. HEERO stands for a pragmatic and economic implementation of the transport revolution. Request your personal consultation now or book an everyday test for free and experience the performance of our vehicles for yourself.
The program, based on the BMV Directive, subsidizes the purchase and conversion of buses with alternative drives (up to 80% of the additional costs) and the associated charging, refueling and maintenance infrastructure (up to 40% of the costs). The deadline for project outlines is August 31, 2025.
Yes, legal entities under private law and economically active natural persons are eligible to apply. This includes private companies such as logistics companies or large craft businesses, provided that they have a permanent establishment in Germany.
The conversion protects your investment in existing special structures (such as bus cabins), is often cheaper than a new vehicle and is subsidized at the same high rate of 80%. They extend the life of proven vehicles and act in line with the circular economy.
HEERO offers comprehensive advice that starts with the analysis of your needs and helps you prepare a promising project outline for the funding application. We help you to clearly present the technical and economic benefits of your project.
For the outline, you need a detailed project description, a calculation of eligible expenditure and an estimate of the expected CO₂ savings. Project Management Agency Jülich provides templates and checklists for this purpose.
Yes, in addition to federal programs, there are often also funding programs at state level, some of which can be combined. The EU also offers further funding through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF), in particular for charging infrastructure in heavy-duty transport.
that Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport (BMV) provides comprehensive information on the funding guidelines for alternative drives in passenger transport and the transport revolution in Germany.
The Contract partner Jülich (PtJ) coordinates the implementation of funding programs on behalf of BMV and supports applicants in project implementation.
Die NOW GmbH is the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology and is also involved in coordinating funding programs for alternative drives.
Die European Commission provides information on the EU NextGenerationEU Facility, which co-finances funds for the German Development and Resilience Plan (DARP) and the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF).
