to zero electric vehicles GmbH

What to zero electric vehicles GmbH does

to zero electric vehicles GmbH is a German engineering company, founded in 2020 and headquartered in Erfurt, that converts diesel-powered buses into fully electric vehicles using a proprietary modular retrofit kit. Its core product is the Modular Propulsion System v4.0, built around LFP battery chemistry and paired with in-house vehicle-control software that supports over-the-air updates and remote diagnostics; the kit holds TÜV certification and ECE-R100 type approval, the EU regulatory baseline for electric road-vehicle battery systems. The company reports a 14-day conversion time and prices the retrofit at roughly €225,000 per bus, which it benchmarks against approximately €550,000 for a comparably specified new E-bus, implying a ~59% capex saving for fleet operators. The kit has been applied across urban buses, articulated buses (MAN A23), and long-distance coaches (Setra S 516 HD), positioning the firm to address municipal transit, regional/intercity coach, and tourism operators across the DACH region and broader EU.\n\nThe business model is project-based: revenue is generated per bus converted, with the company providing the engineered kit, conversion, and post-conversion software/OTA support. Go-to-market targets German and European municipal transport authorities (e.g., DSW21 in Dortmund), coach and tourism operators, and selected special-application fleets. The company is led by co-founders Andreas Pfeffer (CEO) and Hans-Georg Herb (CFO) and operates with a lean team of six employees. Public positioning emphasizes cost advantage versus new E-bus procurement, decarbonization of existing diesel fleets in line with EU Clean Vehicle Directive quotas, and circular-economy logic (extending asset life rather than scrapping functional buses).\n\nStrategic intent, as communicated publicly, is to scale to 5,000 retrofitted buses by 2028, broaden the kit to additional chassis (Mercedes Citaro, Solaris, double-deckers), and build adjacent depot-side services including charging infrastructure, photovoltaic integration, and second-life battery storage. No external funding rounds have been publicly disclosed, and revenue is not reported; the company is currently in a commercial-pilot-to-early-fleet phase, with media coverage in ARD, ZDF, MDR, Tagesspiegel, and DIE ZEIT indicating above-average visibility for its stage.

Name

to zero electric vehicles GmbH

Legal name

to zero electric vehicles GmbH

Website

https://to-zero.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

to zero electric vehicles GmbH is a German company that retrofits diesel buses into electric vehicles using a proprietary modular LFP-based kit, serving municipal transport operators and coach/tourism fleets across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Commercial Vehicle Retrofit

NAICS

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

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLAKAMAK

EV Retrofit & Electrification Conversions (Fleet/Commercial)

Transportation & Logistics/Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance, Repair & Services (MRO)/Battery, EV Charging & Electrification Service (EV/Hybrid)

SECONDARYTLAKAMAI

EV Power Electronics & Drivetrain Electrification Service (Inverters, DC-DC, eAxles)

Transportation & Logistics/Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance, Repair & Services (MRO)/Battery, EV Charging & Electrification Service (EV/Hybrid)

SECONDARYTLAKAMAB

Battery Pack Repair/Remanufacturing & Module/Cell Replacement

Transportation & Logistics/Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance, Repair & Services (MRO)/Battery, EV Charging & Electrification Service (EV/Hybrid)

SECONDARYIMACABAK

Truck & Commercial Vehicle Electrification Manufacturing (eAxles/Battery Packs/Fuel Cells)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Automotive & Mobility Manufacturing/Commercial Vehicle & Truck Manufacturing

Keywords

• Diesel bus electrification
• Commercial vehicle retrofit
• Electric bus conversion
• LFP battery drivetrain
• Depot charging infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Erfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bus Retrofit / Conversion: One-time conversion of existing diesel buses to electric propulsion. Complete kit including motor, battery, HV wiring, cooling, electronics, software, TÜV certification. Pricing example: €225,000 per conversion vs €550,000 for new E-bus.
2. Charging Infrastructure: Planning and installation of depot charging solutions including battery buffer storage, load management systems, and optional PV integration. Example configuration starts at approximately €90,000.
3. Service and Maintenance: 5-year maintenance-free operation, remote diagnostics, OTA updates, spare parts logistics within 48 hours, dedicated service contact, winter upgrade packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TO ZERO converts existing diesel buses into fully electric vehicles using its TÜV-certified Modular Propulsion System v4.0, replacing the complete diesel drivetrain with an electric motor (up to 410 kW), modular LFP battery packs (200–400+ kWh), HV wiring, cooling, control electronics, and proprietary vehicle software. The offering extends to depot charging infrastructure (load management, buffer storage, optional PV) and after-sales service including 5-year maintenance packages and a cold-weather Winter Upgrade.

Product overview

TO ZERO operates as a bus retrofit company (not a traditional SaaS/platform) offering a modular electric propulsion kit — the "Modular Propulsion System v4.0" — that converts existing diesel buses to fully electric operation. The core product includes a TÜV-certified retrofit kit with proprietary electric motor (up to 410 kW), LFP battery packs (200–400+ kWh), HV wiring, cooling system, control electronics, and TO ZERO's own vehicle control software (OTA-update capable). Supporting products and services include depot charging infrastructure with intelligent load management, buffer battery storage (Second-Life from retired bus packs), optional PV integration, and a Winter Upgrade package for cold-climate operations. TO ZERO serves four market verticals: Nahverkehr (city/public transport buses), Reiseverkehr (travel/intercity buses), Lokaler Tourismus (sightseeing/charter), and Spezialanwendungen (airport/industrial/special vehicles). An online Amortisationsrechner (ROI calculator) is also offered as a web tool. The company has retrofitted or is developing conversions for: MAN A20/A21, MAN A23 (articulated), Mercedes-Benz Citaro 530 G, Setra S 516 HD, Solaris, and double-decker buses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TO ZERO Retrofit-Kit (Modular Propulsion System v4.0) A TÜV-certified modular electric propulsion kit that replaces the complete diesel drivetrain of an existing bus. Includes an electric motor (up to 410 kW), LFP battery packs (200–400+ kWh, upgradeable), HV wiring, cooling system, control electronics and proprietary vehicle software. Conversion is completed in 14 days by two technicians and yields up to 500–600 km range. Targeted at public transport operators, private bus companies, tourism operators and special-application fleet owners.
• Ladeinfrastruktur / Depot-Charging Turnkey depot charging solution combining intelligent load management, second-life battery buffer storage (up to 2,610 kWh) and optional PV integration. Enables up to 12× more usable charging power from existing grid connections, eliminating the need for grid expansion. An example configuration (100 kW grid, 2,610 kWh buffer, up to 1,250 kW peak output) starts at approximately €90,000.
• 5 Jahre Wartungsfreiheit (Maintenance Package) Multi-year service package covering remote diagnostics, OTA software updates, 8-year LFP battery warranty, spare parts logistics within 48 hours, and a dedicated service contact. Exploits the fact that electric drivetrains have approximately 90% fewer moving parts than diesel engines, eliminating oil changes and exhaust after-treatment.
• Winter-Upgrade Cold-weather optimization package combining a high-efficiency CO2 heat pump, intelligent pre-conditioning and insulated battery housings. Enables operation down to -20 °C with only 15% range loss versus an industry-standard 30–40%.
• Nahverkehr-Umrüstung (Public Transport Conversion) Tailored retrofit solution for city and articulated public-transport buses (ÖPNV) such as MAN A20/A21, MAN A23 and Mercedes-Benz Citaro 530 G. Delivers up to 500 km range, 3-hour charging time, and supports municipal operators in meeting the EU Clean Vehicles Directive quota of 48% zero-emission buses by 2030.
• Reiseverkehr-Umrüstung (Coach Conversion) Electric retrofit package for intercity and long-distance coach buses, exemplified by the Setra S 516 HD — Europe's first retrofitted electric coach. Provides up to 600 km range, 30-minute fast charging, 250 kW power, and is proven in Alpine operations. Targets private coach and tourism operators needing environmental-zone access and lower operating costs.
• Lokaler Tourismus-Umrüstung (Tourism & Charter Conversion) Retrofit solution for sightseeing, shuttle and charter buses. Enables quiet operation in historic city centres and emission-free access to environmental zones. Covers hotel/airport/messe shuttles, sightseeing tours and event charter services.
• Spezialanwendungen-Umrüstung (Special-Application Conversion) Conversion package for airport apron vehicles, factory/works traffic and special low-floor configurations. Includes airside certification, ICAO fire-protection compliance, EMV compatibility with aircraft systems and 24/7 charge management for continuous operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 59% cost savings compared to new E-bus purchase (€225,000 vs €550,000)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DSW21 Dortmund (Dortmunder Stadtwerke)reference_customerOthersMunicipal public transport operator in Dortmund. TO ZERO converted MAN A23 articulated buses for their fleet. Bus with license plate DO-ZERO became symbol of transport transition. Reference customer for municipal transport applications.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Broad incumbents

• MAN Truck & Bus SE: OEM of the MAN A20/A23 buses that TO ZERO's earliest reference projects convert (DSW21 Dortmund). MAN's Lion's City E is a competing new E-bus offering, and MAN's dealer/service network could enable a competing retrofit program.
• Solaris Bus & Coach: European leader in zero-emission buses (Urbino series) and a planned target for TO ZERO's 2026 portfolio expansion. Direct OEM competitor for new electric bus procurement by the same municipal customers.
• BYD Auto Industry: World's largest manufacturer of electric buses, aggressively pricing new E-buses in Europe and compressing the cost differential that underpins TO ZERO's retrofit value proposition.
• Wrightbus: UK-based manufacturer of hydrogen and battery-electric buses, including the StreetDeck and Hydroliner platforms. Comparable to TO ZERO's European municipal and coach segment with a broad low/zero-emission product portfolio.
• NFI Group (New Flyer): North American market leader in heavy-duty transit buses (Xcelsior CHARGE) with growing European presence. Comparable in serving large municipal fleet electrification programs at scale.
• VDL Bus & Coach: Dutch manufacturer of electric city and coach buses (Citea, Futura), competing with TO ZERO for European public transport operators investing in zero-emission fleets.
• Daimler Truck AG (Mercedes-Benz eCitaro): Manufacturer of the eCitaro, one of the European new E-bus benchmarks and a platform TO ZERO explicitly converts. Established OEM with full service, financing, and dealer network that competes against retrofit on the new-vehicle side of the same customer decision.

Direct peers

• Equipmake: UK-based electric powertrain specialist that repowers diesel buses (including double-deckers) with proprietary electric drivetrains. Direct comparable in bus electrification conversion, with overlapping target market of European municipal and coach operators.
• e-troFit GmbH: German bus electrification retrofit startup converting diesel city buses to electric drive, serving the same EU municipal ÖPNV market under the same Clean Vehicles Directive pressure. Closest direct competitor to TO ZERO in the European bus retrofit space.

Emerging players

• Zenobē: UK battery storage and EV fleet solutions provider that finances and operates electric bus and depot battery assets. Comparable to TO ZERO's depot charging/storage offering and its addressing of municipal capex barriers through energy-as-a-service models.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@tozeroelectricvehicles
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/to-zero-electric-vehicles

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 to zero electric vehicles GmbH