The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) supports the road haulage sector’s transition to climate-friendly vehicles. To date, funding by the BMDV has made it possible to purchase more than 1,200 electric and hydrogen vehicles and deploy almost 1,500 charging points. This is shown by the figures on the funding granted in the first call for applications under the funding guidelines for the purchase of commercial vehicles with alternative climate-friendly drivetrains and the deployment of refuelling and charging infrastructure (KsNI) in 2021. The second call for applications for funding, which also provides for financial assistance to companies for hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, ended in August 2022.

Dr Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport:

Our financial assistance programme shows that companies are very keen to convert their vehicle fleets to clean drivetrains. We are supporting the sector in taking responsibility for combating climate change and reducing emissions from road haulage. By providing funding, we are also promoting innovation and development in an early market stage. I am very happy that we are continuing this success story with our second call for applications for funding. The fact that over 1,600 applications for commercial and special purpose vehicles, such as refuse collection vehicles, have been submitted in response to our second call show the sector’s high interest and commitment to tackling climate change. On 17 November, we will host a conference on climate-friendly commercial vehicles and discuss possibilities and further steps to reduce CO2 emissions with relevant players.

Final figures on funding granted under the first call for applications in 2021:

Around 330 projects were granted funding totalling around 190 million euros.

Commercial vehicles:

The KsNI guidelines provide a major impetus to the ramp-up of climate-friendly commercial vehicles in Germany. The BMDV is providing around 158 million euros to support the purchase of 1,217 climate-friendly electric and hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles. For HGVs weighing more than 12 tonnes, the number of electric HGVs in Germany will increase by a factor of 20 as a consequence of the funding measures. Funded electric vehicles by category (921 vehicles in total):

• Category N1 (< 3.5 tonnes): 321
• Category N2 (3.5-12 tonnes): 161
• Category N3 (> 12 tonnes): 439

In addition, 290 hydrogen-powered vehicles were funded under the first call for applications.
Funded hydrogen-powered vehicles by EC vehicle category:

• N1: 105
• N2: 4
• N3: 181

Charging infrastructure:

In the first call for applications, 1,481 charging points at 332 locations were funded, 333 of which are rapid charging points with a power output of more than 100 kW.

In addition, the BMDV funded 24 feasibility studies on the requirements and general conditions for the use of climate-friendly vehicles in companies. The findings of these studies will be compiled in the framework of scientific research support and will then be made publicly available in the form of guidelines.

Preliminary figures on applications from the second call and the special call for applications:

The willingness of German companies to convert their vehicle fleets to climate-friendly drivetrains is unwavering: By the deadline of 24 August 2022, around 1,670 applications to support the purchase of commercial vehicles and around 1,090 applications to fund charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure were submitted in the second call for applications for funding under the KsNI guidelines and the corresponding special call for applications for funding special purpose vehicles. The applications are currently reviewed for eligibility.

In the period to 2025, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport is making a total of around 1.3 billion euros available in purchase grants for climate-friendly commercial vehicles. An additional 6.3 billion euros are earmarked in the same period for the deployment (or expansion) of refuelling and charging infrastructure for passenger cars and HGVs.

The KsNI funding guidelines are coordinated by NOW GmbH, applications are approved by the Federal Office for Goods Transport.