Paris-based Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) has signed a contract with Solaris Bus & Coach for the supply of the Solaris Urbino 8.9 LE 8.9-meter electric bus to Paris.

Under the contract option, the public transport operator reserved the option to extend the contract to a value of €10 million. This means a possibility of delivering a further dozen or so zero-emission Solaris buses.

The Solaris Urbino 8.9 LE electric will be equipped with a 160 kW central electric motor. The energy needed to drive it will be stored in 160 kWh Solaris High Energy batteries. A plug-in connection, through which the bus will connect to an external stationary charger will be used to top up the energy.

The vehicle will be able to carry more than 50 people at the same time and will feature a 1-2 door layout. For passengers with limited mobility and those traveling with prams, the second door will be fitted with an electric ramp to facilitate boarding the bus.

The interior of the vehicle will also be equipped with air conditioning, passenger information system, video monitoring system as well as fire detection and extinguishing system. Both inside and on the external elements of the vehicle there will be anti-graffiti coating used.

At the end of last year, RATP ordered 18 gas-powered Urbino 18 CNG, deliveries of which will soon begin. The orders realized by Solaris correspond with a long-term RATP policy in the field of reducing air pollution and switching towards low-emission and zero-emission vehicles.

Solaris vehicles have been present in France since 2003. Since then, the company has delivered nearly 550 buses to the country, of which more than 100 went to Île-de-France region.