Investment protection in focus: retrofitting your workshop cart with a shelving system for electric use and maintaining its value.
Investment protection in focus: retrofitting your workshop cart with a shelving system for electric use and maintaining its value.
Your workshop vehicle is perfectly equipped, but the diesel drive is increasingly becoming a cost factor and a limitation? A new investment in an electric vehicle means a total loss of your expensive shelving systems and installations. Learn how to solve this dilemma, protect your investments, and future-proof your fleet.
The topic briefly and concisely
Protect your investment: Upgrade your workshop cart to electric drive and make full use of your expensive shelving systems.
Reduce TCO: Benefit from up to 25% lower operating costs due to reduced energy and maintenance expenses.
Subsidies in retrospect: Government grants covered up to 80% of conversion costs until 2024 and accelerated amortization; no new funding calls are planned.
For craft businesses and service fleets, the workshop vehicle is more than just a van; it is a mobile operations center. The custom-made shelving systems and special bodies often represent a value of over 20,000 euros. In view of diesel driving bans and rising operating costs, many decision-makers are faced with a problem: a new e-van forces the loss of this valuable equipment. HEERO offers a technologically leading solution. We convert your proven Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to a powerful electric drive without you losing your valuable bodies. This not only secures your investment, but also sustainably reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO).
The economic dilemma: depreciation of expensive special constructions upon new purchase
A professional workshop vehicle is an investment that goes far beyond the basic vehicle. Customized shelving systems, workbenches, and mounts often cost more than 15,000 euros and are perfectly tailored to daily workflows. Switching to a new electric transporter means, in 9 out of 10 cases, having to completely write off this customized and expensive equipment. This loss of value significantly reduces the economic efficiency of a new acquisition. Many fleet managers overlook this hidden cost factor in the TCO analysis. The rising operating costs for diesel vehicles and impending access restrictions in city centers create a pressure to act that requires an intelligent solution. The challenge is to modernize the fleet without losing bodies and equipment that have been optimized over years and paid for at a high price. Simply transferring the systems is usually not possible due to different vehicle models and mounting points. This makes it clear that an alternative to purchasing a new vehicle is absolutely essential.
The solution: Value-preserving D2E conversion for your existing fleet
Instead of abandoning your investments in specialized bodies, HEERO offers a pragmatic and economically superior alternative: the electric conversion of your existing Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. In this process, we replace the diesel engine and the drivetrain with our powerful, patented electric drive. Your vehicle chassis, the body, and above all, your complete workshop shelving system remain 100% intact. This approach not only protects your budget but can also be implemented in just 10 days. The advantages of this method are significant:
Investment protection: Your expensive and proven customized interior continues to be fully utilized.
Cost savings: The conversion is often more cost-effective than purchasing a new electric van with comparable range and performance.
Time savings: No long delivery times for new vehicles and no time-consuming planning for new installations.
Sustainability: By continuing to use the vehicle, huge amounts of CO2 and resources are saved.
With the value-preserving electric conversion, you position your fleet at the technological forefront. This is how you master the transition to electromobility without having to compromise on your equipment.
TCO Analysis: How Retrofitting Reduces Total Operating Costs
The higher acquisition costs for electromobility are often perceived as a hurdle. However, a detailed analysis of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) reveals a different picture. Converting your workshop vehicle to an electric drive significantly reduces running costs. Studies show that the operating costs for electric vans are up to 25% lower than those of comparable diesel vehicles. Amortization of the conversion costs often occurs within 4 to 6 years. The savings are composed of several factors:
Energy costs: The cost of electricity per 100 kilometers is significantly lower than for diesel.
Maintenance and repairs: Electric drives have fewer wear parts, which reduces maintenance costs by over 50%.
Taxes and levies: Electric vehicles benefit from tax exemptions and are exempt from the truck toll until the end of 2025.
CO2 pricing: The rising costs for CO2 certificates continuously increase the operating costs of diesel vehicles.
A precise Analyse der Flotten-Gesamtkosten proves that the D2E conversion is not only an emission-related decision, but above all an economically wise one. This enables long-term and reliable budget planning for your fleet.
Practicality in focus: range and performance for everyday craft work
Concerns regarding the range and performance of electric vans are widespread among fleet managers. HEERO has solved these challenges with German engineering. Our converted Sprinters offer a practical range of up to 425 kilometers on a single charge. This performance more than covers the typical daily routes of craft and service businesses of 150 to 250 kilometers. The payload remains at the high level of the original, so you do not have to compromise on tools and materials. The electric motor also delivers instant torque for confident acceleration, even when fully loaded. Your mobile workshop vehicle can even serve as a power source for tools on the construction site. The conversion is available for all Mercedes-Benz Sprinter models, thus ensuring the familiar reliability and quality of your vehicle base. This performance data proves that electrification is not a limitation, but a technological advancement.
An active contribution to the circular economy and sustainability
If you convert your workshop trolley with a shelving system to electric, you are making a decision in favor of the circular economy. Instead of scrapping a functioning vehicle and producing a new one, you extend its life cycle by many years. The manufacturing of a new van causes significant CO2 emissions and consumes valuable resources. The conversion reduces this CO2 footprint by up to 80%. You not only avoid production waste, but also actively contribute to conserving resources. The remanufacturing of commercial vehicles can enable material savings of over 6 billion euros per year in Europe. This approach is the most pragmatic form of sustainability, as it combines emission-related goals with economic sense. Companies like WÜRTH are already showing how successful the electrification of existing fleets is. The conversion is therefore a clear commitment to corporate responsibility.
Government grants as a strategic advantage for the conversion.
The Federal Government has supported the transition to climate-friendly drive systems in the commercial vehicle sector with funding programs. For converting diesel vehicles to electric vehicles, companies received subsidies of up to 80% of the resulting additional costs until 2024. This financial support made the decision for conversion even more economical. The subsidies aimed to reduce investment costs and accelerate the market ramp-up of electric commercial vehicles. HEERO supports you with the application process and identifies which funding options are eligible for your project. The KsNI directive was discontinued in August 2024, and according to the Federal Government, no new funding calls are planned. The combination of TCO savings and government subsidies has made conversion economically viable for future-oriented fleet operators. The TCO advantages remain unaffected by this.
More useful links
The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) provides comprehensive information on electromobility in road freight transport.
The Federal Environment Agency provides information on product responsibility for vehicles, including aspects of disposal and recycling.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) provides a detailed dossier on the topic of electromobility.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI publishes a press release on the increasing economic viability of electric trucks.
