In the first half of 2022, Quantron AG was able to further expand its pioneering and leading position in the field of battery and hydrogen-electric commercial vehicles as the market leader in retrofitting in the DACH region. In spite of the current challenges in the supply chain sector, the specialist for sustainable passenger and goods transport was able to increase sales in the first six months of this year by more than 360 % compared to the previous year.
This was mainly due to the fact that the e-mobility experts from Germany, in addition to converting used or new commercial vehicles to emission-free drives, are introducing their own models to the market as OEMs. One of the zero-emission fleet customers is IKEA. The furniture company has ordered around 50 battery-electric light transporters for last-mile deliveries and is already supplying over 300 customers using emission-free QUANTRON vehicles every day in the greater Vienna area thus saving over 197 t of CO2 annually in this way. Other new customers are logistics and disposal companies such as Ansorge, Breitsamer, DORR as well as the Knorr- Bremse Group from Munich, the world market leader for braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles.
“Demand for zero-emission commercial vehicles has increased significantly during the past six months. At QUANTRON alone, we have served more than 500 customer enquiries across Europe with concrete offers,” says Michael Perschke, CEO of Quantron AG. “In Germany, however, the market is blocked by the current funding practice. After the second call for financial support for commercial vehicles with alternative drives was extended once again until 24th August, companies and municipalities are waiting to place their orders in order to have certainty regarding the amount of the financial support. The current funding practice therefore acts as an investment barrier and is shifting purchasing decisions and thus also the emission-reducing effects to 2023,” Perschke continues.
As a result, QUANTRON does not expect a significant increase in sales until 2023, partly due to the heavy truck offensive with BEV and FCEV drive concepts. Despite these obstacles and the geopolitical challenges, the company´s management is confident of being able to achieve the 2022 target of 20 to 25 million euros.
Well-filled product pipeline
In addition to converting used or new commercial vehicles to emission-free drives, QUANTRON develops its own commercial vehicles as OEMs which are generating great interest in the market due to their short-term availability and the technology used in the manufacture.
In the area of passenger transportation the QUANTRON CIZARIS 12 EV is attracting international interest. The all-electric bus is already available in northern and southern Europe, and will also be available in various versions for the DACH region from January 2023 onwards. The excellent consumption values combined with high performance can be seen in the range of up to 370 km (according to SORT 2) which can be achieved thanks to the proven vehicle technology and LFP4 batteries from the world’s leading battery manufacturer, CATL. The FCEV model is currently under development and homologation
In the freight transport sector, QUANTRON offers the in-house developed, fully-electric light transporter QUANTRON QARGO 4 EV. With a range of up to 350 km as well as accommodating a payload of 2,300 kg, the zero-emission vehicle is ideal for last-mile deliveries.
While QUANTRON offers all-electric vehicles for inner-city or short-distance use, the company relies on green hydrogen as the most efficient fuel solution for long-distance and heavy-duty operations with high payloads. In cooperation with Ballard Power Systems, world market leader in the development of fuel cells, several hydrogen-powered vehicles have been developed including an FCEV heavy-duty truck (40-60t) that will have its world premiere at the IAA Transportation in September.
As part of its hydrogen offensive, QUANTRON is further expanding its 360-degree Quantron-as-a-Service (QaaS) ecosystem. In future, QUANTRON wants to orchestrate the production of green hydrogen and sustainable electricity and cooperate with hydrogen filling stations and charging options thus significantly increasing customer acceptance for this vehicle category.
The QUANTRON team also grew in tandem with the economic development during the first six months of this year. The company, founded in 2019, now has a workforce of more than 110 employees from 14 nationalities including North America, Middle East and Asia. Over 50% of these work in the technical R&D and product areas.
In the period leading up to the IAA, QUANTRON is working on further strategic partnerships to establish itself as a European key player in the Hydrogen Economy in the transportation sector.