Three Norwegian operators have ordered another 7 Solaris electric buses.

Four Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses will be included in the Norgesbuss operator fleet from Oslo. These buses will join two Urbino 12 electric delivered to the carrier last year. The four new buses will be equipped with 145 kWh Solaris High Power batteries, which will recharged via both the plug-in connector and the fast charging pantograph.

One of the newly ordered buses is also the Solaris Urbino 8.9 LE electric, from which the company began the development of electric buses in 2011. It will be delivered to Sorlandsruta, which will use it to operate the line in the city of Mandal in the southern part of the country.

The Urbino 8.9 LE electric ordered for Mandal will be driven by a 160 kW central engine. The energy needed to power the vehicle will be stored in 160 kWh Solaris High Energy batteries. The charging of the batteries will take place via a plug-in connection, while the vehicle will be mechanically and electrically prepared for the subsequent installation of the fast-charging pantograph.

Two Solaris Urbino 12 electric were ordered by Boreal. The buses will be operated in the city of Kristiansand, on the south coast of the country. Electric axles with integrated electric motors with the power of 2x125 kW will be used to drive the vehicles. For energy storage, a set of 145 kWh Solaris High Power batteries will be provided, which will be charged both via the plug-in connector and through the pantograph. This is another purchase of Solaris electric buses by Boreal, which already received a delivery of five Urbino 12 electric in 2018.

The equipment ordered by the Norwegian operators will include, among others air conditioning, monitoring system and passenger information system with a voice announcement of stops. Solaris will also install the additional thermal insulation package characteristic of the Scandinavian countries, including heating mats in the door area. Another solution that increases the safety of travelers is the breathalyzer that prevents the vehicle from starting without subjecting the driver to a sobriety test.

Solaris has so far obtained orders for more than 500 battery-electric buses. They can be met on the streets of 17 European countries, in 62 cities ranging from the freezing north to the hot south of the continent. The total distance traveled has already exceeded 14 million kilometers.