The transport operators for the French capital and the wider Île-de-France region have launched the first fully-electric bus line in Paris.

Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) and Syndicat des transports d’Île-de-France (STIF) inaugurated the first fully-electric bus to operate on the 341 line, which runs from Charles de Gaulle train station to Porte de Clignancourt.

sBy the end of the year a total of 23 of the buses will operate on the route. The buses are standard 12-metre models manufactured by Bolloré. The route will not only serve central Paris, but also two other municipalities in the north of the greater Paris region, Clichy and Saint-Ouen.

The initiative was also supported by the EU-funded ZeEUS project (link is external), which aims to increase the use of electric buses in large European cities. Elisabeth Borne, President and Director-General of RATP, said: ‘The arrival of the first fully-electric bus represents a key step in RATP’s energy transition and shows that other long-term alternatives already exist to confront current environmental concerns.’