news

Krakow is paving the way for electric buses

Posted: 14 August 2017 | Intelligent Transport | 1 comment

The Municipal Transport Operator of Krakow has presented 20 new Solaris Urbino vehicles, extending the city’s investment in electric buses.

The Municipal Transport Operator of Krakow (MPK S.A.) has presented 20 new Solaris Bus & Coach Urbino vehicles, extending the city’s investment in electric buses.

Urbino bus Krakow

17 of the emission-free vehicles are Urbino in the 12-meter edition and the remaining three are the new edition articulated buses.

“The today’s delivery of the 20 low floor electric buses closes the first phase of the agreement signed in April 2016 within the ‘Integrated Territorial Investments’ project for a delivery of 107 modern and environmentally friendly city buses,” said Rafał Świerszyński, CEO of MPK Krakow. “Since June 2016, nearly 200 new buses have arrived on the streets of Krakow, including electric and hybrid buses. At present, Kracow has the largest in Poland, and fifth in Europe, electric buses fleet.

“This arrangement gives us… the option to purchase up to 150 additional vehicles”

“However, this is not the end of the purchases for the next years. In June this year, we signed an arrangement with the National Center for Research and Development on the implementation of the emission-free transport program. This arrangement gives us a possibility of purchasing 11 buses in the first stage of the project and later, after the positive tests results, the option to purchase up to 150 additional vehicles. The delivery of the buses within this program will take place between 2019-2021.”

The Urbino 12 buses

All of the electric, low floor Solaris buses ordered by the Krakow’s MPK S.A. are equipped with air-conditioning, ticket machine (with a possibility to pay by both coins and debit cards), monitoring and a modern, dynamic passenger information system. The batteries of the buses can be recharged by the roof-mounted pantograph or via plug in at the depot.

The new Solaris Urbino 12 electric are equipped with a 160kW central motors and 160kWh Solaris High Energy batteries. The articulated Urbino 18 on the other hand will be powered by 240 kW traction motor and the energy will be stored in a 200kWh Solaris High Energy batteries.

Electric buses in Krakow

Kracow was the first Polish city that started a public transport line operated by electric buses only. In 2014 passengers could take their first ride on a battery bus on line 154 from the Main Railway Station to Prądnik Biały.

Apart from the purchase of the electric bus fleet, Krakow’s MPK has also invested in the development of the charging infrastructure. The depot at Wola Duchacka has been equipped with a 28 plug-in charging stations and there has also been a transformer station for electric buses charging build at a Nowa Huta depot.

What’s more, there will be a further five pantograph charging stations put into use in 2018: three in the city at Konopnicka Street, Piaszczysta Street and a second one at Pawia Street. The remaining two will appear at Wola Duchacka and Brożka Street depots.

Related modes

Related cities

Related organisations
,