What does the French train acronym AGV stand for?

The French train acronym AGV stands for “Automotrice à grande vitesse.”

In English, the phrase means “high-speed railcar” or “high-speed self-propelled train.” The name describes Alstom’s electric multiple-unit design, in which traction equipment is distributed through the train rather than concentrated in two power cars as on many classic TGV formations.

AGV was developed as a next-generation French high-speed train concept by Alstom. Its design retained articulated carriages using Jacobs bogies, a feature associated with TGV trains, while adding permanent-magnet traction motors and distributed power. These choices were intended to improve energy efficiency, capacity, and performance.

The acronym is sometimes mistakenly expanded using Alstom’s name or confused with “autorail,” but neither appears in the official French phrase. The AGV ultimately entered commercial service in Italy rather than France: operator Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori used the trains under the Italo brand. The train’s maximum commercial speed is generally given as 360 km/h.