Apr 9, 2025
Hannover is taking bold steps to improve how people move around it. The city has partnered with Bolt and our research partner, ETH Zurich, one of the world’s top technical universities, to launch a research initiative to build a smarter, more sustainable urban transport system.
At the heart of the project is a shared belief: a strongly integrated transport system — including shared mobility services like ride-hailing, eBikes, and scooters — can play a key role in reducing car dependency and creating better-connected, people-first cities. But to make that shift successfully, cities need data, insight, and innovation. That’s where this partnership comes in.
A recent analysis revealed that 47% of Bolt scooter rides are directly linked to public transport, highlighting the growing importance of shared mobility services as an alternative to private car ownership.
Recognising this, Hannover’s city planners are eager to understand how to better integrate these shared mobility options with public transport and the regional rail network to enhance the overall travel experience.
Bolt is contributing funding and anonymised mobility data, while ETH Zurich brings its expertise in infrastructure planning and mobility modelling. Together with the city’s transport teams, ETH Zurich will analyse travel behaviour, simulate traffic patterns, and evaluate how future investments in mobility hubs (spaces that bring together buses, trains, scooters, and bikes) can improve the overall system.
Hannover has big ambitions: under its Transport Transition Action Programme, the city aims to double the number of kilometres travelled by bike and public transport and cut car traffic in half by 2035.
At the same time, as the capital of Lower Saxony, Volkswagen’s home state, Hannover is in a unique position. It’s balancing the transition to new mobility while respecting the economic significance of traditional car manufacturing—now also undergoing its own transformation toward electric and autonomous vehicles.
This mix of innovation and tradition makes Hannover a real-world testbed for the future of mobility in mid-sized European cities.
The 12-month project includes two main research tracks:
ETH Zurich researchers will use Bolt’s ride data along with surveys and spatiotemporal analysis to examine:
The goal is to better understand how people already use shared mobility and how small infrastructure changes could unlock major shifts in travel habits.
The team will model how mobility hubs — places where public transit meets shared mobility — can improve:
This simulation will help the city make data-driven decisions about where and how to invest in mobility infrastructure.
The research team will deliver interim findings in 6 months, with a full report expected by the end of the 12-month project.
Insights will feed into Hannover’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMP) and help prioritise investment in high-impact infrastructure projects.
Ultimately, the partnership aims to create a more flexible, integrated, and human-centred transport system that makes cities better for people, not just cars.
Cities across Europe are under pressure to deliver greener, more efficient, and more inclusive transport options — but that’s easier said than done. Public budgets are tight, infrastructure takes time, and travel patterns are changing fast.
By combining academic research, real-world mobility data, and municipal leadership, the Hannover project offers a blueprint for how cities can move faster and smarter.
As Jevgeni Kabanov, President of Bolt, puts it:
“We see it as our responsibility to contribute our data to support the modernisation of urban infrastructure. Hannover has a clear vision for safe, sustainable, and intelligent mobility, and we’re proud to support this development through our data and initiatives like the Bolt Urban Fund.”
This project is one of the first from the Sustainable Urban Transitions Lab (SUTL), an initiative launched by Bolt and ETH Zurich in 2024. The lab focuses on solving real-world mobility challenges in partnership with cities across Europe. Seville is also participating in a similar study.
The Sustainable Urban Transitions Lab is a part of the Bolt Urban Fund, a dedicated social impact programme created to support research and partnerships that help cities plan more sustainable, inclusive transport systems. Through the fund, Bolt contributes data, expertise, and financial resources to help turn ambitious mobility goals into actionable solutions.
According to Professor Bryan Adey from ETH Zurich:
“The Sustainable Urban Transitions Lab provides an excellent opportunity to translate cutting-edge research into concrete proposals for cities seeking to improve urban mobility for their inhabitants.”
Hannover is setting a powerful example of what the future of urban mobility looks like:
A city with a clear vision.
A mobility operator sharing its data for the public good.
And researchers turning complex systems into actionable strategies.
City officials are invited to learn more about the Bolt Urban Fund and reach out to the Sustainable Urban Transitions Lab at urbanfund@bolt.eu to explore how we can help make your city a better place to live.
