Madrid’s green investment – 60 electric Solaris buses

EMT, the public bus operator in the City of Madrid, has commissioned 60 electric buses of Solaris. Madrid bets on High Energy batteries and pantograph charging which will ensure high operability in all kinds of conditions. The silent and emission-free Urbino 12 electric buses are flagship vehicles of the manufacturer. Contract value is over 30 million EUR.

Turning 25% of the fleet electric by 2025 and no more diesel engine bus operating in the streets of Madrid  from 2023 – These are the ambitious transport goals that the operator EMT Madrid has set for itself and which it is gradually implementing. In 2021 Solaris secured an order for 250 natural gas-powered buses after winning the tender. Today the city went for an impressive zero-emission investment worth over EUR 30 million – the purchase of a total of 60 Urbino 12 electric buses.

“I am exceedingly proud that such a prestigious order has been entrusted to Solaris. I am grateful for this incredible trust placed in us. Our company has been promoting sustainable public transport for many years, focusing in particular on zero-emission solutions. We believe that electromobility is the future and a guarantee of clean, citizen-friendly, safe cities. I am extremely happy that the direction taken by Madrid is consistent with our vision. The Urbino 12 electric are reliable, tried and tested, but above all fully emission-free vehicles. It is not without reason that this model has been the most successful of all our electric vehicles. How wonderful then that now the citizens of Spain’s capital will be able to see the advantages of the model for themselves,” noted Javier Calleja, CEO of Solaris.

The electric Solaris vehicles the Madrid operator has opted for will derive energy from state-of-the-art batteries of over 400 kWh, which will ensure an adequate range and operability of the buses for the metropolis. Batteries of buses can be recharged by means of an inverted pantograph, or conventionally via a standard plug-in connector. The drive unit of the vehicles will be a 180 kW central motor.

Stretching 12 metres, the Solaris buses will fit to over 80 passengers including 25 seated ones. An efficient air-conditioning system, USB ports and the top-notch passenger information system will ensure the comfort of travellers. EMT has also put first the safety and comfort of drivers. The driver’s cabin will be of the closed-off type, with tall glass screens, which will allow for peaceful work conditions for drivers, their separation from the passengers and a safe ride all in all. Meanwhile enhanced visibility will be ensured by cameras replacing side mirrors, transmitting images on screens inside the vehicle. Among many other advantages, the innovative design of MirrorEye will allow the width of the vehicle to be reduced, something which is of importance in the busy urban space of Madrid.

Solaris has been present in Spain for over 10 years now. Nearly 450 buses made by Solaris currently operate in Spanish cities. Importantly, three quarters of these are vehicles featuring a zero-emission or a low-emission drive. Solaris is a European leader in the sale and manufacture of environmentally friendly buses and currently leads in Europe in terms of the production of electric and hydrogen buses.