Lhe main cause of the two Bluebus (Bolloré) electric bus fires that occurred in April in Paris has been “very likely” identified and should cause a recall of the defective series, said Wednesday, May 25 the group’s boss, Cyrille Bolloré. “We have most likely identified the root cause and sent letters to our customers,” said the manager at the general meeting of shareholders.
On April 29, a Bluebus electric bus caught fire in the 13ᵉ arrondissement of the capital, a few weeks after another bus fire, in the 5and arrondissement. In both cases, no passengers or drivers were injured in these incidents. Following the second disaster, the RATP immediately withdrew from circulation, “as a precaution”, the 149 electric buses of the series produced by Blue Solutions. These vehicles, produced by a company of the Bolloré group, represented almost a third of the Parisian electric bus fleet. In all, Bolloré has supplied 250 electric buses to the Paris transport authority.
READ ALSOThe hydrogen train starts rolling in France
A massive recall would cost 10 million euros
According to the first results of the investigation carried out by Bluebus, the main problem would not come from an “electrochemical defect” but “perhaps from the assembly of an electronic component on a given series”, indicated Cyrille Bollore. The recall and reproduction of the modules would cause an additional expense of 10 million euros for the group in 2022, he added.
The RATP and the Land Transport Accident Investigation Bureau (BEA-TT) have also launched investigations. “It is when we have the results of the first investigations that we will take the decision to put the buses back in circulation”, once any corrective measures have been applied, had explained to Agence France-Presse Laurent Probst, the director general of Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM). The first fire was caused by “a fault in the battery”, he noted.
“We will not be satisfied with this announcement,” reacted the general manager. “These buses will only be put back into circulation after the independent investigation that we have launched” with the RATP. “Île-de-France Mobilités has chosen the safety of travelers and drivers. […] We apply an absolute precautionary principle,” he stressed.
READ ALSOToulouse: will anti-pollution standards get the better of Solidaribus?
“Hard blow”, according to Vincent Bolloré
The Bolloré group – mainly active in logistics and the media (Vivendi) – also has several activities related to electricity storage. For example, the group is developing a solid lithium metal polymer (LMP) battery system, an accumulator to compete with lithium-ion batteries, the most commonly used for electric vehicles.
“It’s a difficult blow, a hard blow,” recognized Wednesday Vincent Bolloré – Cyrille’s father – during the general meeting of the Compagnie de l’Odet, which controls the group bearing his name. The manager praised the “scientific and technological competence” of his electrical systems division. But, “when you have to manufacture yourself, which is the case with our buses, it’s complicated”. At the same time, a number of components are manufactured by third parties, he said.