Flexy: the 100% electric shuttle on the rails

We mentioned this at the beginning of the year—the project of a shuttle capable of picking up travelers in rural areas is becoming more concrete. The Flexy Shuttle will be produced starting in 2025.

While trains already accommodate bikes and scooters to assist passengers in their last kilometers to their homes and workplaces, SNCF is also actively working on developing a new shuttle concept that can operate both on rail and on road. This prototype, named Flexy, was already presented at the beginning of 2022 and, if all goes well, is expected to enter service around 2025.

The Flexy shuttle will primarily be used on railway lines that are unfortunately closed to this day. These segments, often up to 30 km long, typically serve rural areas and leave users without cars feeling stranded. The project aims for Flexy to operate largely on rails, but when needed, to switch to road to access difficult-to-reach areas. The ingenuity of this shuttle is precisely in its wheel, which has a dual function, usable both on rails and on roads. This system was developed by the French tire manufacturer Michelin.

Flexy can accommodate up to 14 passengers and features 100% electric technology. It can operate autonomously (available in free-floating mode and retrievable in a parking lot), but pending legislative validation, it will generally be operated by a driver. Weighing 3.5 tons, it can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h.

New tests in Brittany for 2023

“The timetable for this project is accelerating,” said David Borot in an interview with our colleagues at BFM TV, director of innovations and new mobility at SNCF. “In 2023/2024, two tests will be conducted in Brittany on a pilot line. These will verify the functioning and behavior of hybrid wheels on a mule (a vehicle base), the transitions between rail and road, and crossing devices, especially on single-track routes“

Read also: An autonomous shuttle to save small train lines?