Out of all the manufacturers, Solaris boasts the biggest share of newly registered buses with electric drives in Western Europe in the first three quarters of 2020. In the period in question, 242 state-of-the-art Urbino electric buses rolled out onto the streets of European cities. Solaris has recorded a clear lead over its competitors, thus solidifying its position as an e-mobility leader in public transport in Europe.
Over 1000 battery electric buses were newly registered in the period from January to September 2020. Nearly a quarter of them were produced by Solaris. In the respective period, 242 Urbino electric buses rolled onto the streets of five European countries – France, Spain, Germany, Poland and Italy – with new number plates. To complement the company’s achievements perfectly, the Global e-Mobility Leader 2020 prize was awarded to Solaris at the international Global e-Mobility Forum conference on 19 November 2020.
In the first three quarters of 2020, Solaris recorded its highest sales volumes in Poland, Italy and Germany. The presence of Urbino electric buses on the city streets is particularly noticeable in Poland, where as many as 96% of the 114 newly registered electric buses bear the Solaris logo. Solaris’s share of newly delivered e-buses amounted to 83% in the Italian, and 43% in the German market. In that period, the largest markets in the EU regarding the number of electric buses registered in the first three quarters of 2020 were Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.
Battery electric buses are not the only option in the transition towards e-mobility. Concurrently, Solaris has been investing in the development of hydrogen vehicles and trolleybuses. Since the launch of the Urbino 12 hydrogen bus in June 2019, the manufacturer has received orders for 57 hydrogen Solaris vehicles. Solaris has also extensive experience with regard to the production of trolleybuses. So far, the company has supplied over 1600 such vehicles.
The share of vehicles with alternative drives in the bus production of Solaris has been growing year by year: in the first three quarters of 2020 it amounted to 43%, while in the corresponding period last year it was 39%. What is more, the firm has been making further investments to adjust production lines to handle the significant increase in orders for vehicles with alternative drives.
In 2019, Solaris delivered to its clients a total of 162 electric buses measuring 8, 9, 12 and 18 metres. In just the first three quarters of 2020, the company took orders for nearly 100 more e-buses. These went to clients in 26 cities in Lithuania, France, Spain, Germany, Poland and Italy. The last quarter will bring new deliveries so that by the end of the year a new record for the number of produced and delivered modern Solaris buses will have been set with the company strengthening its leader position.
“State-of-the-art electric buses fitted with advanced battery solutions and innovative safety systems with comprehensive after sales services are a product that Solaris has developed thanks to both the trust of more and more new customers and to the commitment of its employees. I am proud of the fact that the activities of our company to develop e-mobility have allowed us to take a fresh look at public transport as a sector that influences the quality of life in cities in real terms”, said Javier Calleja, CEO of Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z o.o.
In October 2020, during an online launch in a unique setting, the firm unveiled its latest electric vehicle: the Urbino 15 LE electric bus. The vehicle expands the emissions-free portfolio of the company by adding a battery electric bus that will perform outstandingly not only within the confines of a city, but also in intercity transport.
The public transport sector, just like any other industry, has been dealing with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for nine months now. In these trying times, the residents of European cities can still use public transport that, through the joint efforts of sector representatives, remains the cornerstone of urban mobility. As proven by numerous studies, it is also the safest public space where the number of infections is very low. As early as a few months ago, Solaris presented its additional solutions to make bus rides even safer.
Images Courtesy of Solaris