Kiepe Electric Schweiz

What Kiepe Electric Schweiz does

Kiepe Electric Schweiz is the Swiss arm of Kiepe Electric, a pioneer in electric mobility for regional passenger and freight rail and bus transport, operating from Niederbuchsiten, Switzerland as part of the broader Kiepe Electric GmbH group headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. The company designs and supplies electric traction systems, power electronics, and charging infrastructure for trams, metros, locomotives, and electric buses. Its technical portfolio centers on the KIEPE Traction Inverter (KTI), the integrated KIEPE eDrive Unit, the patented IMC® in-motion charging technology for trolleybuses, the SmartHybrid battery drive system for locomotives, and the Draisy-KTI rail mobility solution. Complementing its hardware, the company runs an in-house Testcenter for type and approval testing and offers a comprehensive after-sales stack spanning spare parts, repairs (including components up to 30 years old), obsolescence management, maintenance, depot management, software solutions, training, and emergency field service.

The business model combines project-based hardware sales of traction and charging systems with retrofit and modernization services that the company quantifies as delivering -30% energy consumption, +15 years of additional vehicle life, and -50% cost versus replacement. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales plus OEM embedding: direct sales to public transport operators and municipalities, and component supply to vehicle manufacturers such as BMC (Turkey) and Vossloh. Reference customers include Stadtwerke Essen, Vossloh (Schalke/DE 18 project), BMC, and the City of Pescara, with traction systems deployed in Berlin, Göteborg, Köln, Lausanne, Manchester, Vancouver, and Wien. Pricing is custom and quote-based; no public pricing is disclosed. In 2025 the company expanded into heavy-duty vehicle electrification (road, mining, marine) and broadened geographic presence in Austria and Canada.

Name

Kiepe Electric Schweiz

Legal name

Kiepe Electric GmbH

Website

https://apsag.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kiepe Electric Schweiz designs and supplies electric traction systems, power electronics, and charging infrastructure for trams, metros, locomotives, and electric buses, selling direct to public transport operators and as an embedded OEM supplier to vehicle manufacturers across Europe and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Electrification Equipment

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632), Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing (33635)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid Powertrain Integration Manufacturing (ICE-HEV/PHEV modules) (IMACAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

EV & Hybrid Battery Service, Diagnostics & Reconditioning (TLAKAMAA), EV Power Electronics & Drivetrain Electrification Service (Inverters, DC-DC, eAxles) (TLAKAMAI)

Keywords

• Electric traction systems
• Rail electrification equipment
• Vehicle modernization services
• Traction inverters
• In-motion charging technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Niederbuchsiten

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Traction Systems & Components: Sale of electric drive systems, traction inverters, and powertrain components for trains, trams, and buses
2. Charging Infrastructure: Design and supply of electric charging infrastructure solutions for vehicle fleets
3. Modernization & Retrofit: Retrofitting existing rail vehicles and buses with new electric systems, extending vehicle life by up to 15 years
4. After-Sales Services: Comprehensive after-sales support including spare parts management, obsolescence management, maintenance, repairs, and emergency services. Also includes software solutions and depot management
5. Testing & Certification Services: Component and system testing including type testing and approval examinations in company's test center

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kiepe Electric Schweiz (operating as Kiepe Electric GmbH) develops and manufactures electric traction equipment, auxiliary converters, and powertrain components for trains, trams, metros, and electric buses. The company also provides modernization/retrofit services for existing vehicles, charging infrastructure solutions, and comprehensive after-sales support including spare parts, maintenance, obsolescence management, and depot management for fleet operators across Europe and North America.

Product overview

Kiepe Electric is a pioneer in electric mobility for regional passenger and freight transport, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products, solutions, and services. The core products include Bahn-Elektrifizierung & Bahntechnik (rail electrification and railway technology) and Modernisierung (modernization/retrofit). Key solutions include the SmartHybrid battery drive system, Draisy-KTI, and the new KIEPE eDrive Unit with KIEPE Traction Inverter (KTI). The company provides comprehensive after-sales services including spare parts, repairs, obsolescence management, maintenance, software solutions, depot management, training, and emergency services. They serve cities including Berlin, Göteborg, Köln, Lausanne, Manchester, Vancouver, and Wien with their traction systems for urban rail and freight transport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bahn-Elektrifizierung & Bahntechnik (Rail Electrification & Railway Technology) Electrical systems and powertrain components for trams, underground railways, and locomotives, including electrification infrastructure and railway technology solutions for rail transport operators.
• Modernisierung (Modernization / Retrofit) Modernization and retrofit solutions for existing rail vehicles and buses, extending operational lifespan by up to 15 years while reducing energy consumption by 30% and costs by 50% compared to vehicle replacement.
• KIEPE eDrive Unit New efficient traction solution for all types of high-quality electric buses, featuring the integrated KIEPE Traction Inverter (KTI) as its core component, enabling powerful and efficient electric bus propulsion.
• IMC® Technology (In-Motion Charging) Trolleybuses Patented in-motion charging technology for electric trolleybuses enabling continuous operation with opportunity charging and battery storage without requiring continuous overhead line infrastructure. Six IMC® trolleybuses were deployed in Pescara in June 2025.
• SmartHybrid Battery Drive Hybrid battery drive solution for rail vehicles, enabling efficient operation with battery power and emission-free capability, deployed on Vossloh DE 18 locomotives via the Schalke project.
• Draisy-KTI Electric mobility solution for rail transport featuring the KIEPE Traction Inverter technology in a compact configuration.
• Spare Parts Supply (Ersatzteile) Spare parts management and supply for railway systems, supporting components across multi-decade fleet lifecycles.
• Repair Services (Reparaturen) Repair services for railway components, including restoration of assemblies up to 30 years old in the company's repair centers.
• Obsolescence Management Obsolescence management services ensuring continued availability of components for legacy railway systems throughout their operational lifespan.
• Maintenance Services (Wartung) Comprehensive maintenance services for rail systems and vehicles to ensure operational reliability.
• Software Solutions for Railway Operations Software solutions supporting railway operations and fleet management.
• Depot Management

Quantifiable outcome

• -30% energy consumption with retrofit solutions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BMCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Turkish bus manufacturer BMC partnered with KIEPE as an engineering partner for electric bus development. KIEPE supplies key components for the new BMC electric bus, which achieved outstanding results in E-SORT testing. KIEPE Traction Inverter technology is featured in the vehicle.
• City of PescaracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025KIEPE supplied six IMC® electric trolleybuses with patented in-motion charging technology to the Italian city of Pescara. Successfully deployed in late June 2025.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Škoda Transportation: Škoda Transportation manufactures traction equipment and complete rail vehicles, with a comparable portfolio of traction electronics and drives for trams and locomotives in European markets.
• Voith: Voith is a direct competitor in rail drive systems and traction technology, offering electric drivetrain and drive components for rail vehicles that overlap directly with KIEPE's traction inverter and eDrive offerings.
• Toshiba Infrastructure Systems: Toshiba (formerly via the Toshiba-ABB JV) supplies traction motors and power electronics for rail applications, a direct peer in traction inverter and propulsion technology.
• CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles): CAF builds rail vehicles and integrated propulsion systems, competing with KIEPE on traction drives and modernization services for urban rail operators.

Broad incumbents

• CRRC: CRRC is the world's largest rolling-stock and rail equipment manufacturer, including traction systems and electrification, representing a global scale incumbent against which KIEPE competes for international tenders.
• Alstom: Alstom is a global rail rolling-stock and systems integrator that competes in traction propulsion and rail modernization, with overlapping capabilities in tram and metro electrification.
• ABB (Hitachi Energy): ABB / Hitachi Energy supplies traction motors, converters, and power electronics for rail and e-mobility applications, directly overlapping with KIEPE's traction inverter and power electronics portfolio.
• Siemens Mobility: Siemens Mobility is a major incumbent offering complete rail electrification, traction systems, and rolling stock globally. It competes with KIEPE on integrated rail drive systems and bus electrification platforms.

Regional players

• Stadler Rail: Stadler is a Swiss-headquartered rolling-stock manufacturer that uses and competes against third-party traction suppliers like KIEPE; it represents an adjacent regional peer with overlapping customer base in Switzerland and Europe.

Emerging players

• ZF Friedrichshafen: ZF is expanding into electric drive systems for buses and commercial vehicles, an emerging competitor to KIEPE's eDrive Unit and KTI products in the e-bus powertrain segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kiepeelectricgmbh/?viewAsMember=true
• Xx.com/KiepeElectricAG

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kiepe Electric Schweiz