France Tests Road-Rail EVs, Targets 5,700km Abandoned Lines

Approximately 5,700 km of unused secondary railway lines in France are the subject of a project to deploy light electric vehicles capable of both road and rail travel. These vehicles, termed “Ferromobiles,” are not designed as trains but as a low-cost mobility service for underserved rural regions where modernizing lines for heavy rail is economically unviable.

The initiative is part of the government’s France 2030 plan, which aims to decarbonize transport. The government has tasked engineering company SICEF with coordinating the Flexmove consortium. Project partners include AKKA Technologies, the transport engineering firm Systra, Université Gustave Eiffel, and the start-up Entropy. The project is described as an example of “frugal innovation with high impact” due to its reliance on existing infrastructure.

The Ferromobile vehicle is an adapted Peugeot e-Traveller model, a 100% electric platform with zero operational emissions. Each unit can transport up to eight passengers. The design allows for automated driving on rails and manual operation with a driver on public roads, providing a flexible service for routes with demand too low for traditional trains but too high for exclusive reliance on private cars.

Initial testing is underway on the Courpière – Vertolaye line in the Auvergne region, an area where rail services were suspended years ago. The operational model for the vehicles is dual-mode: they can run on fixed schedules with short waiting times or be summoned on-demand through a mobile application. This approach mirrors on-demand transport services.

A critical safety and operational component is that the Ferromobiles will operate exclusively on decommissioned lines. This strategy prevents traffic conflicts and safety issues that would arise from sharing infrastructure with conventional, heavy-rail train traffic. The concept avoids the need for massive capital investment in line electrification or modernization.

The Ferromobile concept aligns with a broader trend in the transportation sector toward developing low-cost electric and autonomous mobility solutions. Verification data shows parallels with efforts in the automotive industry, such as Tesla’s announced Cybercab, which targets a sub-$30,000 price point for a 2026 launch, and Ford’s project to build a $30,000 electric truck using innovative design and manufacturing to reduce costs. These initiatives similarly focus on making advanced mobility more accessible.

If the trials in Auvergne confirm the economic and operational viability of the Ferromobile system, the project may be extended to other French regions, including Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Brittany. The outcome of these tests will determine the future deployment scale.