Lublin has been continuously investing in the development of an emission-free fleet. Following the award in a public tender, Solaris Bus & Coach and the municipal transport authority Zarząd Transportu Miejskiego in Lublin have signed a contract for the supply of electric buses. This time the urban carrier opted for seven articulated vehicles, namely Solaris Urbino 18 electric buses including the charging infrastructure. The completion of the delivery is scheduled for May 2023.
On 2 June 2021, representatives of Solaris and of the Lublin-based operator ZTM signed a contract for the supply of 7 articulated Urbino 18 electric buses. Additionally, the operator has invested in charging infrastructure, having commissioned one single and three dual plug-in charging stations for the depot. In line with the contract, the completion of the order is scheduled for May 2023.
“I am extremely happy to see ZTM in Lublin decide in favour of electric buses of our product range once again. The contract signed today is yet another step towards positive changes in public transport and reaching sustainable development. Lublin’s investments in zero-emission vehicles, including electric buses as well as trolleybuses, prove that the city has been betting on the development of modern city transport that is both resident- and environmentally friendly for many years now,” remarked Petros Spinaris, Deputy CEO of Solaris.
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The commissioned vehicles will feature Solaris High Power batteries which are adapted to frequent and fast charging and boast a nominal capacity of over 150 kWh. The energy stored in these will propel a 240 kW central electric motor. A recharging process of barely a few minutes is possible thanks to the roof-stacked pantograph. Moreover, the buses can be recharged at night at the depot station, using a conventional plug-in connection.
The spacious and comfortable bus interior offers room for 120 passengers with 40 seats on board at their disposal. The buses will have full-vehicle air-conditioning, separate for drivers and for the passengers. What is more, travellers will have the option to recharge mobile devices using one of the USB ports located in the passenger compartment. Also on deck will be a comprehensive passenger information system with internal display units, as well as a surveillance system covering the bus interior and exterior and increasing the travel safety.
The Lublin operator has also opted to order the cutting-edge remote diagnostics system eSConnect which enables the efficient management of an electric bus fleet and its optimal use. The chief advantage of the system is that it allows to track data on bus fleet location at any given time and place, including data on the updated battery status and the remote identification of potential errors.
The vehicles ordered today are the first articulated electric buses of Solaris to make it all the way to Lublin. However, the collaboration of the city of Lublin and Solaris dates back to 1996, when Lublin, as one of the first Polish cities, received buses from Bolechowo. What is more, recently the carrier has also commissioned 32 Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses and 15 articulated Solaris Trollino 18 trolleybuses. ZTM in Lublin also steadily continues to expand its urban charging station network.
The shift towards electromobility solutions has been noticeable recently not only in Poland but also in cities across all of Europe. Solaris remains a leader among European suppliers and manufacturers of zero-emission electric buses.
