During the first 18 months of the project, MOBILITIES FOR EU has focused on setting up the foundations for large-scale demonstrations.
Urban Transport Labs are now operational in all seven cities. They serve as co-creation spaces where citizens, local authorities, researchers and businesses jointly design and validate mobility solutions. Activities have included workshops with schoolchildren, engagement events, and citizen consultations in Madrid and Dresden. First governance models and roadmaps of activities have been drafted.
In the leading cities, 11 pilot projects involving 27 innovative solutions have progressed from the design phase to early implementation. In Madrid, this includes the operation of a mid-size autonomous electric bus in Mercamadrid, the deployment of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for freight transport, and the establishment of a stand-alone 5G private mobile network to support CCAM connectivity. Additional advancements include the development of a Distributed Smart Grid for Eco Transportation, integration of a Digital Twin for power grid flexibility, the deployment of 10 hydrogen buses along with Europe’s first hydrogen refuelling station for buses, full electrification of 329 e-buses and the Carabanchel Bus Depot, as well as the implementation of a Green Energy Data Space in mobility.
In Dresden, implementation efforts include charging robots and 5G-based advanced connectivity infrastructure, vehicle automation supported by service robots and infrastructure for assisted automated connected driving, a feasibility study and mobility concept, bidirectional charging systems, a data platform with associated services, and the rollout of a 5G private communication network.
Business models and financial plans have been prepared to secure the long-term viability of these demonstrations and ensure integration with each city’s Climate City Contract.
A common evaluation framework has been designed, with indicators covering environmental impact, transport, energy performance, user acceptance and cost-effectiveness. Monitoring plans to ensure a proper data collection are nearly defined in both Madrid and Dresden, facilitating comparability and transferability.
On the replication side, a portfolio of solutions—derived from the innovative ones implemented in the Lead Cities—is being developed as the foundation for future upgrade and replication mobility plans across all participating cities. This process will be carried out after an analysis of each city's urban context and priority intervention areas, and with the support of the UT-Labs.
This work ensures that by the next phases of the project, real-life demonstrations will be fully operational, data will be collected systematically, and replication will be prepared on a larger European scale.
