Automobile Club KS e.V.: Call for Tenders for the 43rd KS Energy and Environment Prize

The transformation of the mobility sector remains an enormously important factor for a livable future. With its KS Energy and Environment Prize, the KS e.V. automobile club aims to once again reward innovation, courage to change, and outstanding commitment in the mobility industry in 2025.

For the 43rd edition of the award under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), the third largest German automobile club is once again seeking innovative candidates in the vehicle technology and mobility systems categories (see also www.ks-auxilia.de/ks-energiepreis). The deadline for submissions is March 20, 2025.

“Mobility is a basic need for all people. However, for mobility to function and be sustainable and future-oriented, the challenges can only be solved collectively by all stakeholders and at various levels. With our KS Energy and Environment Prize, which we have been awarding for more than 40 years, we aim to once again send a clear signal of the mobility industry's innovation capabilities and, therefore, of Germany as a location,” says Ole Eilers, President of the KS e.V. automobile club, succinctly highlighting the focus of this year's call for applications.

Change Requires Courage and Smart Minds 

On the occasion of the 43rd edition of the KS Energy and Environment Prize, the automobile club KS e.V. once again honors the innovations of applicants in the categories of vehicle technology and mobility systems. The award, under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), is endowed with 10,000 euros each in the form of donations.

In the field of vehicle technology, actors from the car, motorcycle, or supplier industries, for example, can apply. In the category of mobility systems, transport carriers, mobility providers, cities and municipalities, institutions, associations, and organizations are invited to submit their innovations.

By the way, anyone can submit proposals for the award entries, meaning private individuals, media representatives, or associations as well. However, a prerequisite for an entry to have a chance is always that the innovation has already proven itself in practice or is about to be rolled out.

Non-negotiable: a sustainable and future-proof mobility

Since 1981, when energy conservation slowly started becoming a major societal issue after the OPEC oil embargo, the automobile club KS e.V. has been honoring outstanding achievements in the transportation sector with its prestigious Energy and Environmental Award, focusing on energy savings, sustainability, as well as climate and environmental protection.

From the beginning, this has included technical innovations in the passenger car, commercial vehicle, and supplier industries, especially in vehicle technology. For the third time in 2025, groundbreaking mobility systems will also be specifically recognized in their own category.

Numerous innovations recognized by automobile club KS e.V., such as Volkswagen's Formula E (1981), the VDA's integrated traffic management (1993), or BMW Efficient Dynamics (2007) have established themselves as milestones in the industry.

In the past year, Daimler Truck was awarded in the vehicle technology category for sustainable transport and comprehensive technology know-how, as well as MAHLE in the mobility system category for its e-vehicle charging solution ChargeBIG6. The year before, the winners were Knorr-Bremse for their residual torque reduction system (vehicle technology category) and Bosch for its Automated Valet Parking (mobility systems category).

“Worldwide, multiple challenges threaten to overshadow the topic of climate and environment. With our KS Energy and Environmental Award, we want to continue to focus on a future-proof mobility that benefits everyone,” summarizes the President of automobile club KS e.V., Ole Eilers.