A consortium including Hamburger Hochbahn, Volkswagen subsidiary Moia, and Holon will begin testing around 20 autonomous electric shuttles in Hamburg as part of the ALIKE project, which is backed by €26 million in federal funding. The trials aim to establish the groundwork for scalable, commercial ridepooling services using autonomous vehicles in urban areas.
The initial rollout will cover an operational zone stretching from Stadtpark to the Elbe River and from Schlump to Wandsbek, with the first vehicles expected to begin test operation later this year. Two vehicle models will be deployed: the Holon Urban, formerly known as the Holon Mover, and the Volkswagen ID. Buzz AD. Both shuttles are equipped with Level 4 self-driving technology developed by Mobileye, featuring 360-degree perception via cameras, radar and lidar systems.
Hamburger Hochbahn plans to begin construction in mid-May on a dedicated 2,000-square-metre depot to house up to ten Holon Urban shuttles. The depot, centrally located within the 37-square-kilometre operating area, will include charging infrastructure, green roofs, photovoltaic panels and a modular administration building. “We’ve placed a strong emphasis on sustainability in the depot’s design to support long-term, flexible operations,” the company said in a statement.
Test runs with the Holon Urban are scheduled to begin in mid-2025, initially without passengers but with a safety driver on board. From 2026, members of a closed user group will be able to book the shuttles via the HVV switch and Moia apps. The 15-passenger electric vehicles are designed for barrier-free access and can operate at speeds up to 60 kph.
The ID. Buzz AD, which will be managed by Moia, will also be introduced in the second half of 2025. Moia is expected to operate the vehicles from its own facilities. Unlike traditional taxi services, ALIKE’s ridepooling concept groups passengers with similar destinations into shared rides, aiming to reduce costs and offer a more flexible alternative to scheduled public transport.