The Problem

Transport is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in Europe and has made little progress in decarbonising over the past few decades (EEA, 2025). Despite advances in electrification and biofuels, transport emissions in 2024 were still higher than in 2012 (EEA, 2025). In Ireland, transport has experienced the most significant increase in emissions of any sector since 1990 – up 129% (EPA, n.d.).

In recent years, however, there has been some improvement. In 2024, Ireland’s transport emissions were approximately 5% lower than pre-COVID levels, largely due to growing electric vehicle (EV) adoption (EPA, 2025). That year, 25% of new vehicle registrations were battery electric or hybrid electric vehicles, bringing the national EV fleet to 148,900, which exceeded the Climate Action Plan’s target (EPA, 2025). Yet even if every passenger car were an EV, 51% of vehicle emissions would be unchanged because of the trucks, buses and vans on our roads (EPA, 2025).

Commercial vehicles typically have long service lives, which influences how companies account for both their costs and emissions. In Ireland, more than half of the national bus fleet is over five years old (NTA, 2021), while half of the heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are over eleven years old (Climate Change Advisory Council, 2024). Replacing these vehicles early, while they're still good and usable, with EVs can cut operational emissions and fuel costs. For example, driving 10,000 km in an EV car costs approximately €145, compared with around €1,350 in a petrol-powered car (Cupra, n.d.). But they require high upfront investment and generate new manufacturing emissions. Retaining the existing fossil fuel-powered vehicles avoids these manufacturing impacts but perpetuates higher operational emissions.

A more circular approach is to retrofit diesel vehicles with electric batteries and motors. This requires less capital investment; research indicates that new medium-duty electric trucks and buses typically have payback periods of 7.5 and 8.3 years, respectively. Retrofitted equivalents, however, can achieve payback in 4.7 and 4.5 years (Primus Partners, 2024). This shorter payback window makes investing in retrofit solutions more attractive to fleet operators.

However, the optimal pathway for fleet operators between these options depends on vehicle condition, age, mileage, electricity mix, and available capital, requiring a case-by-case assessment.

The Circular Solution

Hibra Design is an Irish automotive engineering company that takes existing diesel-powered commercial vehicles and retrofits them with battery electric powertrains (Powertrain refers to the system that delivers power to the wheels; in a diesel vehicle, this includes the engine, gearbox, drive shaft, etc.). This enables Hibra Design to extend the lifespan of existing vehicles, reduce operational costs, and significantly cut emissions.

The company’s engineering approach allows for customised vehicle redesign and prototype development tailored to meet the performance and reliability needs of the client. Each retrofit involves detailed analysis of thermodynamics, electrical systems, and ergonomics, while maintaining compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

As well as reducing fuel emissions, Hibra Design’s approach retains the embedded carbon already invested in the original vehicle structure, avoiding the emissions associated with manufacturing a new one. This supports both decarbonisation and circular economy objectives by extending vehicle life and maximising material value.

The company has also developed its internal Hibra Design System, which analyses real-world operational data from its clients, such as fuel use, distance travelled, and operating hours. This enables three key outcomes:

1. Technical feasibility assessment of vehicle electrification based on operational patterns.

2. Economic analysis of cost and return on investment for fleet operators.

3. Engineering and implementation of customised zero-emission solutions.

Through this data-driven methodology, Hibra Design helps clients identify viable decarbonisation pathways and transition towards circular, low-carbon fleet operations, with significant cost savings.

Video of Ireland's first electric tractor built in Cork by Hibra Design

Climate Impact

Retrofitting internal combustion vehicles to electric powertrains delivers emission savings. An independent life cycle assessment of a converted Smart ForTwo found a 45% reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions compared to a new EV. This was driven by the reuse of the existing structure and the lower fuel emissions (Innocenti et al., 2024). In India, where the electricity grid is more carbon-intensive, retrofitted buses and trucks achieved operational emission savings of 26 and 36 tonnes of CO₂ per year, respectively (Primus Partners, 2024).

In Ireland, Hibra Design demonstrated the potential impact of this approach through a feasibility study for Iarnród Éireann at Rosslare Europort. The study showed that 98% of terminal tractor operations could be powered by battery-electric technology, eliminating tailpipe emissions and saving approximately €200,000 per year in operational costs.

Replicability

• New Electric is a Dutch company that has been converting a wide range of commercial vehicles, including everything from Hilux trucks to asphalt rollers to tugboats, to fully electric since 2008.

  
  

• ABB retrofits large-scale mining trucks. In one example, a 30-year-old 147-tonne mining truck was converted to a fully electric drivetrain, saving around 100,000 litres of fuel per year.

  
  

• Electric Classic Cars is the world’s largest converter of classic cars to electric drivetrains, giving old cars new technology.