French conglomerate Bolloré is shutting down its electric bus subsidiary, Bluebus, after 15 years of operation. Since its founding in 2011, the company delivered nearly 700 electric buses in six- and 12-metre configurations to approximately 60 public transport operators, primarily in France and Brussels.
The business faced significant challenges following safety incidents in 2022, when RATP in Paris grounded 149 Bluebus vehicles after two fires occurred within a month. Investigations identified short circuits caused by faulty battery insulation as the cause. These events impacted the reputation of the proprietary solid-state lithium-metal polymer technology developed by the sister company, Blue Solutions.
Bolloré cited a lack of economies of scale as the primary reason for the closure, noting that Bluebus could not compete effectively with established manufacturers. The decision will result in 74 job losses, though a small team will be retained to maintain the existing fleet of 700 buses.
The group is currently in the process of selling the Bluebus research and development division, which employs 17 people, to a European transport firm. The deal is reportedly nearing completion.
Bolloré will continue to operate its battery division, Blue Solutions, focusing on the development of fourth-generation solid-state cells. The company aims to establish a gigafactory for this technology by 2029 and is currently seeking a strategic investor to fund the project.
