Renault Group launches series of electric bus initiatives across Europe
The projects are being run in partnership with WeRide, a Chinese autonomous vehicle firm which currently operates in Asia, the Middle East, and North America.
In Valence, France, the companies have just launched an experimental pilot featuring automated buses which is set to run until 19 April. Following its conclusion, the company hopes to launch a full commercial service of the shuttles from July 2025. The pilot will be operated alongside French transport operator beti and insurance company Macif, and will connect a TGV railway station to a 162-hectare business park along a 3.3km route.
Another pilot currently underway in Barcelona allows passengers to test out two electric miniBuses in what is described as ‘the heart’ of the city, running along a 2.2km open road loop. “By developing autonomous shuttles in a dense and complex urban environment, the experimentation demonstrates the maturity of new technologies for automated public transport services,” said the company in a statement.
Additionally, Renault Group and WeRide are conducting further research into terminal buses at Zurich Airport, following an ongoing pilot that started in January 2025. The hope is to enable employees to travel between buildings efficiently, while providing a proof-of-concept for autonomous electric buses in a highly regulated environment such as an airport.
The projects are aimed at developing workable public transport solutions in Europe with ‘Level 4’ autonomous self-driving, i.e. remotely supervised vehicles that are able to drive on their own in a defined operational area with no human operator on board.
“Faced with the rise of low-emission zones, cities and local authorities will have unprecedented challenges in terms of public transportation,” said a spokesperson for Renault Group. “It is estimated that several thousand autonomous electric miniBuses will be needed in the coming decade. Capable of managing driving situations on their own in an Operational Design Domain, autonomous miniBuses have demonstrated their effectiveness through various experimentations, opening prospects for a flexible, accessible, secure and carbon-free offer.”
0 Comments