Racing for Subsidies: Switzerland Doubles Budget for Commercial Truck Loaders
Switzerland launched a funding program at the beginning of 2026 to support the installation of truck charging infrastructure, allocating 20 million francs (approximately 21.5 million euros) for it. However, according to officials, demand is so high that an additional 20 million francs are being added promptly.
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In Switzerland, the Federal Office for Energy (BFE) has approved an expansion of the “in charge” industry program. Thanks to additional funds from the Climate Protection Act (KlG), Switzerland’s transport sector now has nearly 40 million francs (nearly 43 million euros) available to develop charging infrastructure for electric trucks. The program is managed by the commercial vehicle association ASTAG (“Association Suisse des Transports routiers”).
Under “in charge,” only businesses with at most 250 employees, that is, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are still eligible to apply. Under this program, up to 40 percent of the costs for planning, grid connection, wiring, and charging facilities are covered per company. ASTAG is responsible — in collaboration with EBP Schweiz — for the entire administration of this industry program, including the approval of grants, oversight, and communication.
In background: Switzerland currently has the highest share of electric trucks registered in Europe. According to the latest figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), the electric truck proportion in the first half of the year was 26 percent (for trucks with a gross weight of 16 tons or more). In other words, one in four newly registered heavy trucks in Switzerland was an electric truck during the first six months of the year. Factors contributing to this include the exemption from tolls for electric trucks, which remains in effect until 2031. Given the very high toll rates in Switzerland for logistics companies, electric trucks are particularly cost-effective. Nevertheless, purchasing electric trucks requires significant investment upfront — and it is here that the country aims to assist especially smaller businesses.
The Swiss Federal Government has tasked the commercial vehicle association ASTAG with implementing the new subsidy program since the beginning of this year. The program aims to encourage companies to establish charging infrastructure at their locations. Initially, 20 million Swiss francs were allocated for the program period from 2026 to 2030, which is approximately 21.5 million euros. However, according to ASTAG, this budget is already “almost exhausted” due to high demand. One reason might be that operators in Switzerland want to take advantage of the toll-free period, as it has recently been confirmed that even electric trucks will be subject to tolls in Switzerland after 2031.
Switzerland is now increasing the funding for this purpose. “The high demand shows that our industry is ready to invest in climate-friendly technologies. With the additional funding, more transport companies will be able to advance the development of charging infrastructure and gradually electrify their fleets. This creates investment certainty and strengthens the competitiveness of our SMEs,” says Ständerat and ASTAG Central President Thierry Burkart.
The commercial vehicle association also presents a specific interim report on funding applications, which illustrates the surge in requests for subsidies: from the start of the year to early October, 224 funding applications were submitted, of which 135 have been approved so far. This has already committed around 19 million francs of the originally available funding. “At the same time, the current projects clearly demonstrate the program’s effectiveness. The original targets are already being met or exceeded today,” states ASTAG’s summary. The approved charging projects enable the use of around 687 electric trucks, aiming to contribute to a reduction of approximately 52,088 tons of CO2 per year. “This already significantly exceeds the originally targeted annual reduction of 36,000 tons of CO2,” it says.
Even considering the broader program goals, the funding coordinators are satisfied: “The industry program was launched with the aim of replacing around 600 diesel trucks with electric vehicles, providing approximately 60 megawatts of charging capacity, and saving about 14 million liters of diesel per year. The current results show that the industry has moved forward with great momentum and is actively contributing to this transformation.” For ASTAG, increasing the funding amount is a crucial signal in this regard. It is also clear that “the transformation of road transport poses significant technical, organizational, and financial challenges for companies. That is why practical tools that enable investment and provide companies with planning certainty are so important.”