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Within less than a month, Solaris received three volume orders for hundreds of electric buses.
Solaris, the Polish bus manufacturer (part of CAF Group from September 2018 on), just won Europe’s biggest contract for 130 articulated electric buses for Warsaw, the capital of Poland.
The total value of 130 Solaris Urbino 18 electric for Warsaw operator Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe (MZA) is nearly PLN 400 million (€94 million/$105 million). All those buses will be delivered by the end of 2020, which is also pretty quick.
“The gigantic order for 130 articulated electric buses is the biggest ever tender of its kind in Europe. The electric buses of Solaris have been ordered so far by 60 cities in 17 countries, and have already traversed over 14 million kilometres since 2011. Pursuant to the contract signed today, the company is to carry out the order in 2020.”
MZA plans to have 400 electric buses on the road within two years from now, which means more contracts are coming.
During the past few weeks, Solaris received also an order for 90 Urbino 12 electric from Berlin and 40 Solaris Urbino 12 Electric from Milan (with an option for up to 250).
According to the press release, the uses will be equipped with 150 kWh battery packs (short range/high charging capability at up to 400 kW) to use on routes equipped with ultra-fast charging stations.
“The 130 articulated electric Urbinos for MZA will be fitted with Solaris High Power batteries with a capacity of 150 kWh, and for which the producer grants a seven-year warranty, as per requirement of the awarding authority. The electric power in those batteries will be recharged by means of depot charging stations of the plug-in type and by means of pantographs. The bus will feature two charging sockets: one above the right wheel arch and the other placed behind the last door, whereas the pantograph will be mounted on the roof. Boasting over 400 kW of power, the fast-charging stations will be deployed in various corners of the city. The setup of the infrastructure is the object of a separate call for tender.