Solaris clocks in more than 10 million kilometres with its electric buses

Credit: Solaris

By the end of 2018, Solaris had covered over 10 million kilometres with its electric buses operating worldwide..

Following this, barely a decade after its premiere, the Urbino electric – which is now in serial production – can offer the same operational possibilities as diesel buses, without releasing noxious exhaust emissions and therefore remaining the most environmentally-friendly bus.

The manufacturer’s electromobility adventure actually began when it started working on its first Solaris Trollino trolleybus. The evolution of electric drivelines from trolleybus, through hybrid to solely battery-powered drive, earned the vehicle the acknowledgment of experts from the automotive industry and the Bus of the Year 2017 award.

Solaris has delivered or received commissions for nearly 400 electric vehicles; in 2017, it ranked first in Europe in this respect, claiming a market share of 18 per cent. A few hundred electric Urbinos are currently riding on roads in 16 states and 38 European cities.

Since signing its first contract in 2012, Solaris has been incessantly working on technologies for its electric buses. The company’s product range has widened with regard to the offered vehicle length, the battery capacity and the charging modes, the driveline types as well as the heating and air-conditioning systems.

Even though the electric drive technology itself is already well-known, for many cities and public transport operators it is still a novel and advanced solution. In its attempt to help customers prepare for the electrification of municipal transport, Solaris offers to carry out individual feasibility studies, at the client’s request. Needs may differ depending on the outside temperature of the city, but also on the average speed, the number of stops on the bus route, the bus occupancy or the topography of the area.

Experience gathered during the travels of each Urbino electric has allowed the firm to devise a serially produced bus that is able to replace a diesel vehicle in urban traffic. These are also the laws of the market in which vehicles with alternative drivelines claim an increasing share, and this applies in particular to city buses.