More electric Solaris buses going to Jaworzno

Municipal operator Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacji Miejskiej in Jaworzno has once again opted for electric buses made by Solaris. This time, the producer selected in a tender will deliver 6 articulated Urbino 18 electric buses to the town. As a result, emission-free vehicles will account for 80% of the operator’s fleet. This is a phenomenon on a European scale, i. e. an example of just how to deploy e-mobility in towns with up to 100,000 inhabitants.

Solaris Bus & Coach Sp. z o.o. has just signed a contract with operator PKM Jaworzno for the supply of 6 Solaris Urbino 18 electric buses. The vehicles will hit the streets of Jaworzno within one year of the contract being signed.

Jaworzno is a pioneer when it comes to implementing e-mobility in towns. Back in 2015 it was the first town in Poland to put an e-bus, the Solaris Urbino 12 electric, into operation. Taking into account the latest order, electric vehicles will make up 80% of the operator’s fleet. In line with the contract signed today, Solaris will deliver 6 articulated Urbino 18 electric buses.

This time, the buses will be equipped with Solaris High Energy batteries boasting a total capacity of over 280 kWh, and at the heart of the drive will be an electric axle. Just as with the vehicles already used by the operator, the new buses will be charged both by means of pantograph chargers and conventional charging sockets. The operator also has opted for hybrid heating, which optimises energy consumption, and consequently translates to extended driving ranges.

“We are truly proud to observe such towns as Jaworzno that, by setting an example, have been consistently showing that e-mobility is the right direction. This new order for electric Solaris bus models, placed by the operator, is the best proof of the satisfactory performance of our e-buses and the positive experiences it had over many years of their operation”, said Petros Spinaris, member of the Management Board of Solaris for Sales, Marketing and Customer Service, who was also present at the contract signing.

“Emission-free vehicles are a natural phase in the transformation of public transport. We all need solutions to be as green as possible. E-mobility, which has demonstrated its technological effectiveness over many years, is one of them. I am really glad not only to be the pioneer in Poland when it comes to operating an electric fleet, but also to be able to transform the fleet successfully as this change is expected by passengers, is beneficial for the environment and ensures Jaworzno‘s status as a modern town”, says Zbigniew Nosal, CEO of PKM Jaworzno.

Solaris and PKM Jaworzno have been continuously collaborating for 20 years. Jaworzno is not the only Polish town to be investing in the development of environmentally friendly public transport. Up until now, nearly 600 e-buses have been ordered by domestic operators, with over 400 units already having been delivered. Orders placed by Polish operators account for almost 40% of all electric contracts signed by Solaris. According to a report published by the Polish Economic Institute (PIE) entitled “How to support e-mobility”, by 2025, Poland will have the third-biggest fleet of electric buses in Europe. 

In the photo (from the left at the table): Zenon Torba (Vice President of the Board of PKM Jaworzno), Petros Spinaris (Member of the Board of Solaris), Zbigniew Nosal (President of the Board of PKM Jaworzno). From left standing: Dariusz Starzycki (Vice Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship), Paweł Silbert (Mayor of Jaworzno), Rafał Zajas (Southern Region Sales Director - Poland), Jakub Jóźwiak (Solaris After Sales Director).

Photos: Maciej Kowal