The French municipal association of Saint-Nazaire has placed 25 battery-electric articulated buses from Iveco Bus into service, with a further 15 vehicles due to be delivered between 2027 and 2030 as part of a broader public transport modernisation effort.
The newly deployed vehicles are E-Way Linium articulated buses operating on the electric bus rapid transit (BRT) lines of the Stran network. The BRT corridors feature elements such as dedicated lanes and priority at traffic lights to improve reliability and journey times. A central feature of the buses is their roof-mounted pantograph systems, which allow opportunity charging at terminal stops during daily operations.
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The rollout forms part of the Hélyce+ project, under which the Saint-Nazaire Agglomeration has expanded its bus network to 13 lines and increased service frequencies. The project also includes the electrification of the fleet through the introduction of the 25 battery-electric buses now in operation.
The vehicles and charging ecosystem are being delivered through a joint solution provided by Iveco Bus and its partners ABB E-mobility and Dalkia Electrotechnics. The consortium supplied the buses, charging infrastructure at depots and terminal stops, and the systems used to control and monitor the charging process.
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As part of the project, five terminal stops and 40 overhead charging points for overnight depot charging were constructed. ABB supplied the charging components, while Dalkia Electrotechnics handled installation. The three partners are also responsible for maintenance of the system, Iveco Bus said.
“With Ycéo and Hélyce, we are not just developing a transport network, but a new way of designing public space,” said David Samzun, mayor of Saint-Nazaire and president of the agglomeration. He said the shift to fully electric buses would improve air quality, reduce noise and strengthen the region’s resilience to climate change.
Giorgio Zino, head of Iveco Bus’s European business unit, said the project reflected a systems-based approach. “By combining three areas of expertise, we are delivering a reliable, high-performance and quiet solution for the benefit of all,” he said.
Once the additional 15 buses are delivered later in the decade, Saint-Nazaire’s fleet of Iveco electric articulated buses will rise to 40, further consolidating the city’s shift toward zero-emission public transport.