Rueil-Malmaison: Supporting citizens’ access to green transport

The City

Rueil-Malmaison is located in the county of Hauts-de-Seine in the suburbs of Paris, with a population of approximately 80 000 people. Since the establishment of a local Agenda 21 in 2001, the city is engaged in a series of initiatives aiming to promote sustainable development, reduce CO2 emissions and increase the quality of life in general.

The Challenge

Benefitting from a privileged geographical location, Rueil-Malmaison is concerned with sustainable development and set itself the objective of becoming an example of a “virtuous city” in this field. Within the framework of the green actions implemented to promote sustainable development by reducing energy consumption, air pollution and traffic levels, the city already offered “green” transport modalities: the website of the municipality proposes pedestrian itineraries to enjoy the city, cycling paths and a bike station were built and the city equipped itself with 38 bikes. However, the city welcomed further diversification and expansion of this offer.

The Satellite Solution

The municipality decided to expand its actions in favour of sustainable transport by encouraging and supporting an experimental project implementing a rental service of electric cars available in the city (Moebius). The fleet consists of 10 vehicles, which can be rented by any person who has registered for the service, at any time of the day. Each car is equipped with a GPS navigator connected to a fleet management system. The users communicate their position by telephone or internet to the service managers, who indicate to them the closest available car. Vehicles are equipped with a touch screen indicating kilometres, duration of use and battery charge level. The managing system also allows to localise the cars that need to be recharged, while customers can indicate any problem with the vehicle. The city of Rueil-Malmaison offered the parking spaces dedicated to the recharging of the electric vehicles and plays an essential role in raising awareness about the service.
Moebius is a service implemented by VU Log, IFP (Institut Français du Pétrole) and Arts & Métiers Paris Tech/Institut de Chalon-sur-Saône and Institut Image, within the framework of the project “Ville Mobilité Energie” (VME), funded by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADE ME).

The Results

Rueil-Malmaison succeeded in increasing the transport alternatives of its citizens by offering environmentally friendly solutions. Since June 2010, the ten electric cars have become an innovative way to move freely in the city. The vehicles are easy to use, small and silent . Finally, the vehicles are 100 % electric and thus contribute to improving the air quality of the city and to enhancing standards of living for everyone.

“Moebius offers a valuable solution to move around the city in an environmentally friendly way.” Isabelle Ruffaux, Head of Sustainable Development