HOLON urban picks up speed: Milestones in Europe – focus on the start of production in the USA
HOLON is consistently driving forward the mobility change with its autonomous shuttle HOLON urban. In recent months, the company has made important progress – technologically, regulatorily and strategically. The developments show that HOLON is on a stable course and ready for the next step towards market launch.
Technological milestones in Hamburg and Israel
The HOLON urban is making noticeable progress in everyday European life: After successful road traffic approval for Level-0, the first test drives on public roads in Hamburg started in the ALIKE project. At the same time, the autonomous system was implemented at partner Mobileye in Israel. There, the HOLON urban completed its first autonomous drive on a defined test track – clear proof of the technical maturity of the system.
"We are delighted with these two milestones. They confirm that our vehicle concept is not only technically convincing, but also on track in terms of regulation," says Dr. Sven Herzig, CSO HOLON. "We are approaching a new era of mobility with great strides."
The coming months will be all about integration and validation. HOLON is thus showing that the future of urban mobility is not only conceivable – it is already underway.
Production and international scaling
In parallel with technological advancements, HOLON is driving production preparation and global scaling. Preparations are underway in Jacksonville for the establishment of the company's first production site. The respective joint venture agreement will be signed in October 2025. The first offices with local employees have already been occupied, and further space will follow at the beginning of 2026. The official groundbreaking is planned for April 2026.
HOLON urban meets FMVSS requirements, complies with Buy America requirements and is ADA compliant. In addition, HOLON is examining further production sites in Europe and Saudi Arabia in order to be able to manufacture close to the market in the future. In Saudi Arabia, concrete projects have already been agreed together with BENTELER Mobility and Blacklane:
Together with Blacklane Chauffeur Services and the Jeddah Transport Company (JTC), HOLON wants to test the connection of the first and last mile there. Another milestone: HOLON and the Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) have announced a landmark partnership to introduce the HOLON urban in Saudi Arabia.
HOLON is also further expanding its market presence in the USA: In August, BENTELER Mobility announced a cooperation with the ride-hailing provider LYFT. From 2026, the HOLON urban is to be deployed as part of an initial pilot project. Further pilot projects are already being planned.
"We are in the middle of taking the next step in urban mobility," Dr. Herzig summarizes. "With our pilot projects, we are creating trust, and with the establishment of our first production facility in the USA, we are laying the foundation for the market ramp-up. Technological development is advancing rapidly, and the HOLON urban is evolving in leaps and bounds – we are determined to drive this momentum forward worldwide."
International visibility: Response to leading trade fairs
These advances are accompanied by strong international visibility. At the ITS World Congress in Atlanta, the IAA Mobility in Munich and the APTA TRANSform 2025 in Boston, the HOLON urban met with great interest.
"The enthusiasm we experienced at the three trade fairs is a clear signal: the market is ready for our solution," emphasizes Sven Herzig. "We see that autonomous shuttles are not only seen as a vision of the future, but as a concrete answer to the challenges of urban mobility."
What distinguishes HOLON is its consistent focus on public transport. While many providers rely on existing platforms, HOLON has designed a vehicle specifically for use in public transport – not a compromise, but a shuttle that was developed from the ground up for urban requirements: barrier-free, efficient, safe and scalable.
In Jacksonville, HOLON and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) showed how the city is becoming a testing ground for a new form of public transport – safe, inclusive and future-oriented. As part of the U2C project, vehicles from HOLON are being used to implement a modern, barrier-free and emission-free mobility system in the city centre.
In Munich at the beginning of the month, the focus was on exchanging ideas with politicians, transport companies and industry partners. A week later, HOLON used its presence in Boston to further consolidate its position in the US market. There, the company presented its shuttle for the first time with the Quantum Q'STRAINT system for secure wheelchair attachment – an important step towards inclusive mobility that gives everyone access to modern mobility solutions. For the first time, the near-production interior was also presented to the American public.
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