The Solaris Urbino 12 electric bus, featuring inductive charging, was officially presented in Braunschweig. Following the presentation, the vehicle completed two demonstration runs and then entered regular service on the M19 line. This is the first of five electric Solaris buses that will arrive in Braunschweig later this year.
During the demonstration ride, the guests, including representatives from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, were shown the capabilities of the zero-emission Solaris bus. After just a few minutes of contactless inductive charging, the electric vehicle set off on a route where guests could personally experience the ride comfort.
The Solaris Urbino 12 electric is charged inductively. This means that a device has been installed under its floor, designed to collect energy contactlessly from chargers located in the bus stop infrastructure. Just a few minutes are enough to replenish the energy in the batteries and continue the journey freely. The presented bus is a quiet and completely zero-emission vehicle, and the Primove inductive charging system from Bombardier allowed for the installation of batteries with a capacity of only 60 kWh, which take up very little space.
This is not the only electric bus from the Polish manufacturer charged in this way that will hit the streets of Braunschweig this year. The company from Bolechowo will also deliver four articulated Urbino 18 electric models, which in turn will be equipped with 90 kWh batteries. These will be the first eighteen-meter electric Solaris buses. The local operator, Braunschweiger Verkehrs AG, also holds an option to purchase an additional vehicle under the signed contract.
Braunschweiger Verkehrs AG is acquiring the electric Solaris buses as part of the “Emil” project. The acronym stands for “electromobility through inductive charging” and assumes the large-scale use of inductively charged electric vehicles. The first stage of the project involves ensuring that the M19 line, which circles the city center, is served exclusively by electric buses.
Solaris will also deliver a number of other electric buses this year, characterized by modern solutions. These will include, among others, two Urbino 12 electric buses with a plug-in charging system ordered by Düsseldorf. The buses have been equipped with 210 kWh batteries. Additionally, the vehicles will be prepared for the installation of a roof-mounted pantograph for fast contact charging. This is a solution designed and presented by the Polish company last year at industry trade fairs.
The first electric bus will also appear on the Swedish market, specifically in the town of Västerås. The Swedish Urbino 12 electric will be equipped with a plug-in charging system. The 160 kWh battery will be divided into several modules. Two of them, 40 kWh each, will be placed on the roof, and the other two at the rear of the vehicle, on its left side. This will ensure an even distribution of pressure on both axles. An interesting technical aspect is the bus’s equipment with a gas heater, which will be powered by two cylinders located on the roof of the vehicle.
Hochbahn, a carrier from Hamburg, has purchased two Solaris Urbino 18.75 electric buses with a hydrogen fuel cell to increase range. These will be the longest electric-drive models offered by the Polish manufacturer. The vehicles will be powered by 120 kWh batteries. A novelty is the battery charging using a 101 kW hydrogen fuel cell from Ballard, powered by the aforementioned element.