Commercial vehicles with electric drive: Funding of up to 80% of the additional costs ran until 2024
Commercial vehicles with electric drive: Funding of up to 80% of the additional costs ran until 2024
Up to 425 km range after conversion – and up to 80% government subsidy on the additional costs until 2024. In light of rising diesel prices, switching to commercial vehicles with electric drive remains a strategic decision; new federal funding calls are not planned.
The topic briefly and concisely
The funding deadline for an 80% subsidy on electric commercial vehicles and conversions ran until 2024; approved projects will be fully funded, and new calls are not planned.
The diesel-to-electric conversion (DTE) conserves budgets and resources by maintaining expensive specialized structures and utilizing the principles of circular economy.
A Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis shows that electric commercial vehicles are more economical in the long term than diesel vehicles due to lower energy and maintenance costs.
Rising operating costs, strict climate regulations and threatening inner-city driving bans are putting fleet operators under pressure. The transition to electric-drive commercial vehicles is not a question of "if," but of "how." Converting your proven existing vehicles is particularly economical. Until 2024, the KsNI funding directive of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) covered up to 80% of the costs for the conversion and 40% for the charging infrastructure. This guide shows you the necessary steps to reliably assess the funding situation and make your fleet future-proof.
Legal framework and funding deadlines: What applies to your fleet today
The EU's Clean Vehicles Directive (CVD), implemented by the German Clean Vehicles Procurement Act, creates facts for public and many private fleets. By the end of 2025, 38.5 percent of newly procured light commercial vehicles had to be low-emission. The decisive funding directive "Climate-friendly Commercial Vehicles and Infrastructure" (KsNI) ran until 2024 and has been discontinued since August 2024. This directive subsidized the additional investment expenditure for an emission-free vehicle or a Diesel-to-Electric conversion by up to 80 percent. The development of the necessary charging infrastructure was subsidized with 40 percent. New funding calls are not planned; projects that have already been approved will be fully financed. The regulatory pressure remains unaffected by this and continues to determine the procurement rhythm. Anyone planning today calculates the transition without government subsidies and puts operating costs at the forefront.
Your 4-point action plan for electrifying your fleet
A structured process is key to reliably assessing funding opportunities and making the transition efficient. Use this checklist to navigate safely through the process:
Needs Analysis and Profitability Assessment: Analyze your current driving profiles, routes, and operating costs. Based on this, we calculate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for your fleet and identify the greatest potential for savings. The TCO considers all costs over the lifespan of a vehicle, not just the acquisition.
Solution Configuration – Retrofit or New Purchase: Check whether retrofitting your existing vehicles is the better option. Especially in the case of expensive special bodies, retrofitting protects your investment and is a prime example of a circular economy in practice.
Funding Application: Gather all necessary documents for the application under the KsNI directive. This includes vehicle offers, TCO forecasts, and a plan for the charging infrastructure. The KsNI directive ran until 2024; we support you in preparing an application that is formally correct.
Implementation and Commissioning: Following approval, your vehicles will be retrofitted or the new vehicles will be delivered. In parallel, the charging infrastructure is installed with up to 165 kW charging capacity to ensure high vehicle availability.
This pragmatic approach ensures that you can reliably assess the funding situation for your electric utility vehicles.
Technology in detail: Retrofitting, costs, and lifespan
Conversion instead of buying new: The advantages of the circular economy
The diesel-to-electric conversion is the core of our approach and a strong commitment to the circular economy. Instead of scrapping a fully functional vehicle, we replace the combustion engine with a highly efficient electric drive. Your proven Mercedes-Benz Sprinter retains its chassis and its often expensive special body. A converted HEERO sprinter achieves a practical range of up to 425 kilometers. This approach saves up to 10 tons of CO₂ during production alone compared to buying new. Continuing to use existing resources is not only the smartest solution in terms of emissions, but also economically for many Mercedes commercial vehicles with electric aspirations.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): The true calculation
The higher acquisition costs for an electric commercial vehicle are often seen as a hurdle. However, a TCO analysis shows a different picture. The total cost of ownership of an electric vehicle is often lower than that of a diesel. This is due to several factors:
Lower energy costs: Electricity costs per kilometer are significantly lower and more stable than diesel prices.
Reduced maintenance effort: An electric motor has far fewer wear parts than an internal combustion engine, which reduces maintenance costs by up to 50 percent.
Tax advantages and subsidies: KsNI funding of up to 80 percent of the additional costs massively reduced acquisition costs until 2024.
A study by the ICCT confirms that, depending on the usage profile, electric trucks are cheaper to operate than their diesel counterparts after just four to six years. Our analysis of purchase vs. conversion shows the potential in detail.
Charging infrastructure and battery lifespan
A powerful charging infrastructure is crucial for efficient operation. Our systems support DC fast charging with up to 135 kW (standard) or 165 kW (mid-low floor bus). This means a battery with a net capacity of 96 kWh can be charged to 80 percent in about 30 minutes. The batteries we install are designed for a long lifespan of over 200,000 km. The charging infrastructure was also eligible for funding under the KsNI guidelines, which significantly reduced this cost block until 2024.
HEERO performance data at a glance
Transparency is crucial for us. Here you can find the real performance data of our vehicles, based on the HEERO data sheets (as of 07/2025):
HEERO eTransporter: Up to 500 km range, 110 kWh gross battery (96 kWh net), 135 kW DC charging capacity.
HEERO ePritschenwagen (EK & DoKa): Up to 400 km range, 110 kWh gross battery (96 kWh net), 135 kW DC charging capacity.
HEERO DTE-Sprinter: Up to 425 km range, 110 kWh gross battery (96 kWh net), 135 kW DC charging capacity.
HEERO Mittelniederflur-Bus: Up to 300 km range, 137 kWh gross battery (115 kWh net), up to 165 kW DC charging capacity.
HEERO Heckniederflur-Bus: Up to 300 km range, 110 kWh gross battery (96 kWh net), 135 kW DC charging capacity.
HEERO Tourer (Minibus 9 Pax): Up to 400 km range, 110 kWh gross battery (96 kWh net), 135 kW DC charging capacity.
These field-tested values for Sprinter with electric drive and other models form the basis for reliable fleet planning.
Start your funding analysis: What remains of the 80% subsidy
The federal KsNI funding ran until 2024; no new calls for funding are planned. We clarify on a case-by-case basis which programs are currently open. Use our expertise to lead your fleet economically and sustainably into the future. Answer three short questions and receive a free and non-binding roadmap to potential subsidies from us. We will work with you to check which funding is available for switching to locally emission-free vehicles.
Start your funding analysis
Answer three questions and receive your subsidy roadmap with the current status of the funding.
To the free analysis
free · non-binding · resilient
Note: The content presented here is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or funding advice.
More useful links
The Bundestag provides current short reports and information from the German Bundestag.
Bayern Innovativ explains funding programs for the establishment of charging infrastructures for e-trucks.
The Nationale Leitstelle Ladeinfrastruktur provides comprehensive information on funding programs for charging infrastructure.
The Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur provides official information on electromobility in Germany.
