Akiem and Taxirail sign a letter of intent for the development of autonomous rail shuttle modules
Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, 29 April 2021
TaxirailTM is a disruptive autonomous light rail concept, developed in Brittany by innovation office EXID Concept & Développement and its partners. Designed to densify traffic on local lines, Taxirail’s autonomous shuttles offer an alternative to journeys by road, encouraging a modal shift to low-carbon transport in line with Paris climate conference commitments and helping to revitalise the territories where they will operate.
Rail plays a major role in today’s world and saving local lines is vital to preserving economic activity at the local level. Our regions need services that are efficient, tailored to the needs of local people and fully aligned with the ecological transition. TaxirailTM is an innovative concept that meets these challenges by offering the prospect of increased service frequencies at lower cost. We are very excited about working together to promote this new model
Akiem is Europe’s leading locomotive leasing company, assisting rail operators and local authorities to finance the rolling stock they require. It has also operated in the passenger train market since 2019. The assistance it provides includes financing conventional trains as well as innovative rail assets that improve the passenger experience. Akiem’s mission is to revitalise the rail industry in France and in other countries across Europe.
Finalising product development before regional rollout
Akiem’s role in the partnership will include drawing on its technical and financial rolling stock expertise to support Taxirail SAS during the final product development phases, as well as to help put together comprehensive financing and operational solutions for transport authorities. In five years’ time, TaxirailTM intends to have 200 shuttles in service as part of projects with regional authorities.
In addition to numerous signs of interest from local authorities, this partnership boosts the credibility of TaxirailTM as a demonstration of the market’s interest in our innovative solution. Access to the expertise of a major rail industry player like Akiem ensures that future TaxirailTM customers will benefit from outstanding know-how and an international maintenance footprint for servicing the modules.