EVARM
EVARM is a company focused on clean mobility and alternative fuel technologies. EVARM specializes in converting vehicles and machinery to run on natural gas (GNC), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and hydrogen. Their services cater to a wide range of vehicles including trucks, buses, vans, and industrial machines. Committed to environmental sustainability, EVARM helps fleets achieve reduced fuel costs and comply with eco-friendly standards. The company also offers comprehensive support from the initial conversion process to aftersales services.
From Diesel to Hydrogen: The Story Behind EVARM’s Zero-Emission Minibus
The company was inspired by the urgent need to decarbonise heavy-duty transport: trucks and buses in particular which are the hardest sectors to electrify. While electric vehicles work well for light transport, they are not yet a practical solution for heavier vehicles due to the limitations of battery technology and the lack of charging infrastructure. Building a robust electric grid that can support this kind of demand would take decades and require massive investments.
They didn’t have any external funding from banks or investors at the beginning, which was one of our biggest challenges. To get started, they focused on retrofitting trucks and buses to run on alternative fuels like biomethane. This allowed the company to generate revenue early on and build a strong customer base. Then they reinvested those earnings directly into the business to continue developing our solutions. Over time, we also secured some public subsidies, which helped us reduce financial risk and support our growth.
It all started with a concrete need from TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona), who were looking to convert a series of outdated minibuses that could no longer be used. They wanted to explore hydrogen as a clean alternative but needed a partner to carry out the transformation. ACCIÓ, aware of both TMB’s needs and our capabilities at EVARM, suggested the company they could be the right partner for the job.
At the same time, ACCIÓ identified that EIT Urban Mobility had a funding programme that could potentially cover the costs of such an innovative project — especially since it involved several technical challenges. One of the requirements of this programme was to collaborate with an international partner. That’s when ACCIÓ introduced EVARM to EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies, a leading German supplier of hydrogen fuel cell stacks. The connection proved to be a great match, and we began working closely with EKPO to prepare the proposal.
The EIT Urban Mobility call was identified as the best fit after assessing viability. EVARM was provided with a report on handling communication and dissemination during proposal drafting. Besides, they were accompanied to a meeting with EIT Urban Mobility managers to better align the proposal with the call's guidelines. Eventually, the proposal was submitted and approved.
Beyond matchmaking, ACCIÓ also helped the company improve the quality of the application, providing strategic advice to better align it with the goals of the EIT Urban Mobility call. The project was ultimately selected, and today, the TMB minibus has been successfully transformed into a hydrogen-powered vehicle — a concrete result of this joint effort.
"One of the requirements of this programme was to collaborate with an international partner. That’s when ACCIÓ introduced us to EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies. The connection proved to be a great match, and we began working closely with EKPO to prepare the proposal.”