Retrofit, pepper motion and REV Mobilities strengthen their cooperation in France. Ambitious plans for trucks and buses
The aim is to enter the French market, a primary one in Europe, with smart retrofitting solutions for trucks and buses, in order to electrify them. By 2030, pepper plans to sell around 5,000 electrified buses and trucks larger than 7.5 t on the French market in cooperation with REV.
During a press conference held in Paris, pepper motion and REV Mobilities announced the next step of a partnership established at the end of 2021. The aim is to enter the French market, a primary one in Europe, with smart retrofitting solutions for trucks and buses, in order to electrify them. A valuable impetus for the use of retrofitting solutions in the commercial vehicle sector will be provided by the first subsidy program for alternative drives recently presented by the French government. By 2030, pepper plans to sell around 5,000 electrified buses and trucks larger than 7.5 t on the French market in cooperation with REV.
pepper motion: electrification solutions up to 7.5 tonnes
pepper offers electrification solutions for used commercial vehicles with its etrofit kits, helping them to an environmentally friendly, emission-free second life – and keeping them at the cutting edge of electromobility technology. According to the German specialist, as of 2021, there are around 95,000 buses (city buses and coaches) with an average age of 7.1 years and approximately 580,000 trucks >3.5 t with an average age of 7.2 years in use on France’s roads. «A perfect vehicle age, therefore, to give existing vehicles an economical extension to their service life as an environmentally friendly electric vehicle with a conversion».
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The first pepper retrofitting solutions available for the French market are the Mercedes- Benz Citaro C1 and Citaro C2 bus models and the Mercedes-Benz Actros and Atego truck models, which are designed for trucks weighing more than 7.5 tons. Further models such as the IVECO Crossway for inter-regional public transport as well as additional truck models are planned for 2023 and beyond, in cooperation with REV in France. pepper believes that the French market has similar potential to the German market. The law to legalize the conversion of passenger cars, co-initiated by REV Mobilities founder Arnaud Pigounides, provides the foundation for this. A recently announced government subsidy for the electrification of heavy commercial vehicles now offers additional incentives.
The official statements
«As part of our internationalization strategy, the French market has high priority for pepper», says Andreas Hager, CEO of pepper motion GmbH. «pepper is already active in other European countries such as Poland, Italy, Austria, and Bulgaria. As a technology leader, we are convinced that our innovative solutions – in close cooperation with our new partner REV Mobilities – will enable us to offer French policymakers as well as all transport companies and fleet operators a fast and cost-efficient way to achieve the mobility transformation towards zero emissions».
Arnaud Pigounides, founder and CEO of REV Mobilities, added: «France has an opportunity that could not be missed: with an entire existing fleet of 40,8 millions vehicles (98% thermal diesel or gas), Retrofit for commercial vehicles is the only solution that can help reducing Green House Gas quick, and help our customers to enjoy their vehicles longer and cost effectively. Together with pepper motion, we aim for converting at least 5,000 zero-emission buses and trucks in France till 2030. It’s good for companies and budgets, good for circular economy, good for cities and countryside air. And on top of that, good for our wellbeing with less noise in urban and suburban areas».
