Solaris Bus & Coach has signed a deal for the supply of eight zero-emission electric buses of the Urbino 12 electric type with the city of Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland and the operator Miejski Zakład Komunikacji in Gorzów Wielkopolski. These will be the first electric buses to be deployed in Gorzów Wielkopolski. The vehicles will carry passengers starting next year.

Apart from vehicles, the contract covers also an investment part for the design and building of the vehicle charging infrastructure. This marks yet another instance where Solaris can offer a full package of turnkey electromobility solutions. The total net value of the contract amounts to more than PLN 25 million (US$6.7 million).

The electric buses that are to debut on the streets of Gorzów Wielkopolski will be fitted with Solaris High Power batteries with a total capacity of around 120 kWh. Two charging modes will be available for the Solaris buses: both conventional plug-in as well as pantograph charging.

In this particular case the municipal carrier opted for an inverted pantograph (in this version the device is not stacked on the roof of the bus but rather on the mast of the charger).

The 12-meter electric bus will provide space for at least 80 passengers. The driver’s cabin in the commissioned model will be completely shut off.

In the case of the contract with Gorzów Wielkopolski, Solaris has committed to expand the bus terminus, to design and build three pantograph chargers, with 400 kW in charging power, which will be deployed at the termini in strategic city areas. These chargers will allow the operator to maximise the daily operability of electric buses.

The producer is also due to deliver four depot charging stations, each coming with two charging points, featuring a power of 2 x 60 kW; these will enable among others the standard overnight charging of vehicles.