Solaris débuts on new market in Europe

The chief seaport of Montenegro, Port of Bar has selected Solaris in a public tender as the supplier of one Urbino 12 mild hybrid bus. This marks another new 33rd market on the list of countries where vehicles of this brand are present. The delivery of this low-emission bus is scheduled for December 2022.

The beginning of May saw the conclusion of a contract with a new client for Solaris – namely with Port of Bar, the institution in charge of the chief sea-port in Montenegro. The contract consists in the supply of a low-emission Urbino 12 mild hybrid bus which will be used primarily for the transport of staff and guests of the port. This collaboration has opened the door for the manufacturer to its 33rd market where Solaris buses support public transport. The purchase is co-financed by the EU as part of the project SuMo (Sustainable Mobility in the Port Cities of the Southern Adriatic Area) – program Interreg IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro.

Mild hybrid-type vehicles operate in principle similarly to hybrid buses, so they offer a range of environmental and economic benefits while ensuring much bigger flexibility. The system utilised in the Urbino mild hybrid is based on an internal combustion engine supported by an “electric machine” that operates as a power generator. This takes the strain off the combustion engine, which results in fuel savings and lower exhaust emissions. The mild hybrid solution takes advantage of energy recovery technology, which means the system recuperates and stores energy during braking. The recuperated energy is kept in a storage unit and is then used when the engine is under greater strain, i. e. during acceleration. At that moment, the machine acts as an electric motor. As a result, mild hybrids release less pollutants and are more environmentally friendly.

The bus with 29 seats will be deployed in port traffic in the town of Bar which is located in the south of Montenegro. Sporting a 2-2-2 door layout, the bus will feature state-of-the-art air-conditioning, which is important in the hot Mediterranean climate. It is a highly efficient device that can both cool and heat the bus interior, which will result in greater travel comfort for passengers irrespective of the season. The driver’s cabin will be closed off, with tall glass screens that enable the separation of the driver from the passengers to ensure comfortable and safe work conditions.

The Urbino 12 mild hybrid has been in offer since 2020 and is quite popular among the manufacturer’s customers. So far, Solaris has secured orders for nearly 70 units of this vehicle type. The contracts include, among others, one for 16 Urbino mild hybrids going to Hanau (Germany) and one for 29 buses to be delivered to Łódź (Poland).