Two years after fires, 232 Bluebus e-buses are back on Paris’ road (with implemented safety features)

Two years after the two fire incidents, Bluebus electric buses have been back in Paris since 15 April.

148 buses were withdrawn from circulation after two fires accident happened in a short time window. Also the vehicles delivered after April 2022 have been taken out of service until now, for a total of 232 immobilized vehicles for a two years time.

Bluebus buses are back on Paris’ roads

Now, step by step, as anticipated in early 2024, they are starting again servicing the city. The aim is to have the entire fleet ready for 26 July, at the beginning of Olympic games” confirms Pierre Ravier, Deputy Director General of Île-de-France Mobilités, quoted on the media Actu.fr.

Two years later, “The manufacturer, who had identified a manufacturing defect on a specific series of batteries, an incorrectly positioned insulator, has fixed this defect on the new packs and added new safety features in the event of a fire starting, including a casing able to prevent from consequences and a warning light to alert the driver when the bus needs to be evacuated”, reports the French trade media Car&Bus News.

“A “shuttering” system has also been put in place to better protect the batteries and have a “delaying effect”, giving people more time to get out of the bus in the event of a fire. To warn passengers, two buttons have been installed on the driver’s seat: an emergency alert button and a second button for securing the bus”, still according to Actu.fr.