Solaris will deliver 30 articulated Urbino 18 buses to Dortmund at the end of 2022. This investment by public transport operator Dortmunder Stadtwerke AG in electric Urbino buses is a component of the city’s long-term strategy to reduce environmental pollution and noise in the urban area.

The buses will be the first electric Solaris buses in the municipal carrier’s fleet. Earlier, the city acquired 13 Solaris buses with conventional diesel engines. The zero-emission Urbino electric vehicles will come to Dortmund exactly 10 years after the last deliveries.

The electric Solaris buses due to join the Dortmund fleet will features the MobilEye Shield+ drivers’ assistance system that eliminates the blind spot. It detects pedestrians and cyclists moving close to the vehicle. This is particularly important during turns, when visibility can be impaired. The interior will include, among other things, USB charging ports, a passenger information system and environmentally friendly LED lighting.

Solaris High Energy batteries, with a total capacity of over 600 kWh, will be charged by means of a pantograph as well as using a conventional plug-in connection.

Thermal comfort will be ensured by efficient and environmentally friendly air conditioning with a CO₂ heat pump which uses heat from outside to reach the right ambient temperature inside the vehicle. This solution allows the energy efficiency of the vehicle to be raised, which translates to an extended driving range.

The German market is the second largest for Solaris when it comes to registered electric buses. In 2021, it was Germany where the most e-buses in Europe rolled out onto the streets. Solaris, as a leading manufacturer of zero-emission solutions for public transport, has contributed substantially to this development. Over 250 Urbino electric buses currently ply routes in German towns and cities, making up over 20% of the local market.