Skip to main content

Grenoble smart city project to launch in October

Urban transport of the future will become a reality in October in the French city of Grenoble thanks to a partnership between the City and the Metropolitan Area of Grenoble, French energy company EDF, Japanese car maker Toyota and Citélib, a local car-sharing operator. Toyota is contributing 70 of its i-Road and Coms ultra-compact personal mobility electric vehicles to a three-year integrated electric vehicle (EV) car sharing and public transport test project that is being launched in Grenoble, France in
July 2, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Urban transport of the future will become a reality in October in the French city of Grenoble thanks to a partnership between the City and the Metropolitan Area of Grenoble, French energy company EDF, Japanese car maker 1686 Toyota and Citélib, a local car-sharing operator.

Toyota is contributing 70 of its i-Road and Coms ultra-compact personal mobility electric vehicles to a three-year integrated electric vehicle (EV) car sharing and public transport test project that is being launched in Grenoble, France in the autumn.

Connected to the public transport system's IT infrastructure, this new car-sharing scheme will complement Citélib by allowing users to pick up one of the small EVs at one location and drop it off at another. The project also aims to promote interconnectivity of public transport methods (trams, buses, trains) and a new type of personal mobility using small vehicles that take up less space than a normal car.

Vehicles can be charged at around 30 charging stations managed by Sodetrel (EDF Group) and located close to public transport stops

The project partners say they are offering Grenoble an innovative service which will allow a real-life, thorough evaluation of the potential of this new form of mobility. “The Grenoble-Alpes Métropole community has always been open to innovation,” explains Christophe 5343 Ferrari, President of the Grenoble-Alpes Métropole. “The partnership itself, between us, Toyota, EDF and Citélib is in and of itself also an innovation in France,” he added.  “It's a great opportunity for our community to test, for three years and exclusively in Europe, a new mode of mobility that's not only innovative but also economic and ecological. It’s an experiment that is bound to be followed by others for the benefit of our citizens.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • FTA, BMW support UK government funding for green cars
    April 30, 2014
    The UK government has announced plans to invest US$840 million ultra-low emission vehicle industry. It is hoped that this will help drivers both afford and feel confident about using electric cars. Announcing the funding during a visit to the Transport Research Laboratory, Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister said: “Owning an electric car is no longer a dream or an inconvenience. Manufacturers are turning to this new technology to help motorists make their everyday journeys green and clean.”
  • Enforcement suppliers highlight industry best practice
    March 15, 2012
    Major suppliers of enforcement technology highlight the countries, regions or cities that they consider to be leading the way in reduction of road traffic violations. The French government’s ambitious programme of enforcing traffic law violations has proven to be an unrivalled success and is continuing to bring improvements in road safety with innovative enforcement technology.
  • Developments in smarter multi-modal fare paynment
    February 2, 2012
    This section pulls together all the multi-modal topics in each issue. Subject matter will include smartcards; ticketing and payment systems; passenger information systems; fleet management for buses, trains and light rail; park and ride systems; on-line access to real-time information via Internet portals
  • Glasgow finalises its mobility-shift strategy
    February 14, 2024
    Scottish city wants 'far more sustainable and equitable modes' than the private car