Today, the official signing of a contract for the delivery of 32 new Solaris e-buses took place. Along with the vehicles, the manufacturer will provide the requisite charging infrastructure. The commissioned 12- and 18-metre Urbino electric buses will make their way to carriers from the cities of Gliwice, Katowice, Sosnowiec, and Świerklaniec in 2023.
Solaris Urbino electric buses make a real and lasting contribution to improving the quality of life in towns and cities. The vehicles stand out due to their quietness and lack of local emissions. Following worldwide trends, GZM Metropolis (an association of municipalities in the Silesia region) has opted for Solaris e-buses along with charging infrastructure, i.e. 11 pantograph chargers and 16 plug-in chargers. In line with the contract signed, the GZM Metropolis will welcome 27 Urbino 12 electric and 5 articulated Urbino 18 electric vehicles in 2023. Apart from providing charging devices, the manufacturer has also committed to carrying out a full package of turnkey e-mobility solutions comprising designing work, securing a permit for land development, project supervision on behalf of the investor and setting up the necessary charging infrastructure.
“We are very much looking forward to collaborating with GZM and the carriers providing services in the region. For us, the contract is a token of trust and the best proof of the high quality of our products. GZM Metropolis is a unique region contributing substantially through its decisions to the development of environmentally-friendly mobility. We are proud to jointly put the idea of sustainable development into practice”, underscores Petros Spinaris, Member of the Management Board of Solaris Bus & Coach for Sales, Marketing and Customer Service.
The vehicles to be delivered to GZM Metropolis will be powered by Solaris High Energy batteries with a total capacity of 250 kWh in the Urbino 12 electric buses and of 400 kWh in the case of the Urbino 18 electric units. They will be recharged both by means of a pantograph and plug-in technology. The drive in both vehicle types will consist of traction motors integrated with a drive axle.
Thanks to air-conditioning, which will maintain a constant pre-programmed temperature in the passenger compartment, passengers will enjoy a comfortable ride regardless of the weather conditions outside. The Urbino 12 interiors will fit at least 80 people and the Urbino 18 electric buses will have room for at least 115 passengers. A spacious area for the simultaneous transport of a wheelchair and a pram/pushchair or a bike has also been envisaged. To top it all, the buses will also be equipped with illuminated USB charging ports for mobile devices.
An even safer journey will be ensured by a data recording system for bus and driver performance as well as a driver alcohol detection system. The ordered buses will also be fitted with an automatic fire extinguishing system. They will also feature a passenger counting system and an enclosed driver cabin to separate the driver from passengers, a very useful solution in the midst of a pandemic. As standard, there will be a CCTV system on board to monitor the passenger compartment as well as the road around the bus.
Solaris is a European leader in the production and sales of low- and zero-emission buses. Almost 1200 Solaris e-vehicles have already rolled out onto the streets of various European cities. Just as in the case of GZM Metropolis, clients from all over Europe opt for vehicles of different lengths, mostly those of 12 and 18 meters. At present, such electric pairings can be seen, for example, in Berlin, Barcelona, Warsaw, Poznań, and in the Italian city of Bolzano.
