Since the delivery of the first battery-powered vehicle to a customer, electric buses manufactured by the Polish company Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. have covered a total of over 3 million kilometers. This is further proof that Solaris is a leader in electromobility both in Poland and in Europe.
Solaris took its first steps towards electromobility back in 2001 by presenting a trolleybus – the Solaris Trolino. In 2006, the first mass-produced hybrid bus in Europe was unveiled – the Solaris Urbino hybrid. The first fully electric vehicle produced at the factory located near Poznań saw the light of day in 2011. The then-premier model, the Urbino 8.9 LE electric, found a permanent place in the manufacturer’s sales offer. Two years after its premiere, in 2013, mass sales of electric Solaris buses began. The first one was sold to Klagenfurt, Austria.
Today, nearly 80 electric buses with the characteristic green dachshund logo are operating on European roads, and this number is growing very dynamically. In addition to the aforementioned Austria, they can be found in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Spain, and, of course, in Poland. Since 2013, these vehicles have covered a total of 3 million kilometers, serving routes with varied terrain, passenger loads, and in drastically different climatic conditions – from the extremely cold Scandinavia to hot Catalonia. During this time, Solaris battery buses have demonstrated, above all, high quality and an equally high degree of technical reliability.
Solaris fits perfectly into the global trend of developing zero-emission transport. At the same time, by promoting this ecological technology, the Polish manufacturer meets the demand expressed by public transport companies across Europe. The best proof of this is the subsequent orders for over 100 electric buses arriving in Bolechowo. In the near future, contracts for the delivery of battery-powered Solaris buses will be fulfilled for, among others: Italy, Germany, France, Norway, Romania, and Poland. Among them are the world’s first electric buses adapted for blood collection, ordered by the Regional Center for Blood Donation and Hemotherapy in Katowice.
Since the premiere of the first electric Solaris, the manufacturer’s product portfolio in the field of zero-emission vehicles has expanded significantly. Currently, customers can choose from several vehicle length versions (from 8.9 meters, 12, 18, and 18.75 meters) and charging methods (plug-in, pantograph, inductive charging, and a hydrogen fuel cell range extender). The Bolechowo-based manufacturer also offers two types of batteries in its ecological vehicles – Solaris High Power and Solaris High Energy, as well as two ways of transmitting drive; this can be done by an electric axle with integrated motors or a central motor. Thanks to this, and a feasibility study conducted at the individual customer’s request, every Solaris electric bus is a vehicle truly tailored and adapted to the different needs of each recipient. Most importantly, however, all of the mentioned solutions have already been applied in practice in vehicles delivered to customers, covering over 3 million kilometers.