Spanish towns and cities have been continuously investing in the development of their zero-emission fleets. Following the tender procedures, Solaris Bus & Coach will deliver another 6 electric buses including the charging infrastructure to the Iberian Peninsula. Two Urbino 8,9 LE electric buses will make their way to the town of Martorell in the Province of Barcelona. Another two Urbino 8,9 electric units and two 12-metre electric buses will roll onto the streets in the vicinity of Bilbao, in the Basque Country. Both contracts are to be completed by the end of 2022.
Solaris has received further orders for the supply of electric buses to Spain, namely to Catalonia and to the Basque Country. Following the execution of the contract concluded with the Town Hall of Martorell (Ayuntamiento de Martorell), two Urbino 8,9 LE electric buses will soon run on the roads in the Province of Barcelona. What is more, the town has ordered two mobile chargers of 40 kW each. The Basque Country transport operator, EuskoTren, has in turn opted for four Solaris electric buses, which will make their way to the Bilbao region. Two Urbino 8,9 LE electric units will be put into operation on the route to Usansolo, whereas two Urbino 12 electric buses will be deployed on the lines operated by BizkaiBus. EuskoTren has also decided to purchase an onboard charger of nearly 35 kW, and a 150 kW dual range charger of 150 kW that enables the concurrent charging of two buses. Both contracts are to be completed in 2022.
The Urbino 8,9 LE electric buses commissioned by the town of Martorell will feature Solaris High Power batteries adapted to frequent and fast charging and boasting a total capacity of 90 kWh. The Urbino electric buses will be designed for charging using a conventional plug-in connection and for fast charging via pantograph placed on the bus roof. A 160 kW central motor will ensure a smooth ride.
The Basque Country will receive electric buses fitted with Solaris High Energy batteries. The 12-metre vehicles will be equipped with batteries with a total capacity of 440 kWh, whereas in the shorter buses energy will be stored in batteries with a capacity of over 260 kWh. Both Urbino models will be charged using a plug-in system. The drive unit in the shorter buses will be a 160 kW central motor, whereas in the 12-metre vehicles it will be an electric axle with two integrated electric motors.
All vehicles to be supplied by Solaris to Spanish carriers will be fully air-conditioned. All buses will also be fitted with a comprehensive passenger information system with internal displays, as well as a CCTV system covering the bus interior and exterior to increase the travellers’ safety. What is more, passengers will be able to recharge their mobile devices using USB sockets located in the passenger compartment.
In addition, the vehicles ordered by EuskoTren will boast driver assistance systems for more safety. For example, the MirrorEye system, which replaces conventional side mirrors with cameras, will ensure improved visibility in bright sunlight as well as during rain or after nightfall. The Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS), generating warning signals will alert pedestrians to the presence of a vehicle with an electric drive. What is more, the carrier has opted for eSConnect, a software designed by Solaris that will provide for modern fleet management and the monitoring of vehicles cruising the routes in the Basque Country.
The first Solaris buses made their way to Spain over 10 years ago. At present, nearly 300 ply routes there, most of them featuring a zero-emission or low-emission drive. Solaris is a European leader in the production and sales of environmentally friendly buses and the shift towards e-mobility has recently become noticeable in towns and cities Europe-wide.
Images courtesy of Solaris