End after 700 e-buses: Bolloré pulls the plug on Bluebus
French conglomerate Bolloré has decided to discontinue electric bus production at its subsidiary Bluebus. According to Bolloré, Bluebus never achieved the necessary scale to compete seriously with established manufacturers. At the same time, the activities of battery division Blue Solutions are being realigned.
The battery-electric bus manufacturer Bluebus, known primarily among industry specialists in Germany, is ceasing operations and will no longer produce vehicles. This marks the end of what initially appeared to be a success story, 15 years after the company was founded in 2011. During that time, Bluebus delivered nearly 700 electric buses in six- and 12-metre versions to around 60 public transport operators – almost all in France, with the exception of MIVB/STIB in Brussels.
The most important orders came from Paris-based RATP – and these later became a major setback for Bluebus. After one of the buses caught fire for the second time within a month in spring 2022, RATP temporarily grounded all 149 Bluebus vehicles in its fleet. Together with units delivered later, this meant that 232 Bluebus buses ordered by RATP remained out of service for an extended period. It was not until 2024 that RATP resumed operations with the electric buses, ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris.
Faulty insulation caused the fires
Lengthy investigations into the incidents eventually identified short circuits caused by improperly installed insulation in the buses’ batteries as the root cause of the fires. This dealt a severe blow to Bluebus and the wider Bolloré Group, particularly because the batteries had previously been a key selling point of the buses. They were developed and produced in-house by sister company Blue Solutions and used a distinctive solid-state lithium-metal polymer (LMP) technology.
The Bluebus buses were intended to serve as a showcase for this battery technology. However, following the two fires and the findings of the investigation, the reputation of both Bluebus and Blue Solutions suffered, making it more difficult to secure new orders.
Bluebus failed to achieve the necessary scale
Although Bolloré does not explicitly mention the incidents in its latest announcement, they may have contributed to the difficulties facing Bluebus. The group cites a lack of scale as the reason for ending the business: Bluebus never reached the volume required to compete effectively with other manufacturers.
Bluebus is now halting electric bus production, resulting in 74 job losses. A small team will remain to handle maintenance for the approximately 700 vehicles already delivered. Bolloré also intends to sell the research and development division, which employs 17 people, to a European company active in public transport. The deal is reportedly nearing completion.
Future for battery division Blue Solutions
While the bus business is being discontinued due to a lack of economies of scale, Bolloré plans to continue operating its battery division, Blue Solutions, with a focus on developing the upcoming fourth generation (Gen4). These solid-state cells are designed to operate at room temperature, with the company targeting ultra-fast charging times of less than 20 minutes, 40 per cent greater range and a high level of safety.
Blue Solutions is targeting vehicle manufacturers with the technology and aims to establish a gigafactory for the cells by 2029. To fund the capital-intensive project, the company is currently seeking a strategic investor.