Solaris electric buses are going to Bilbao

The representatives of Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. signed a contract, in line with which operator ALSA Group SLU is to receive two Solaris buses of the Urbino 12 electric type and also two stationary chargers. The vehicles will operate on routes in the biggest city of the Basque country – Bilbao. The vehicles will be delivered later this year.

ALSA Group commissioned the Solaris Urbino 12 electric model, awarded with the ‘Bus of the Year 2017’ title. The version for Spain’s Bilbao will be powered by an axle with two integrated traction engines of 125 kW each. The electric Solaris will be equipped with a pack of Solaris High Energy batteries with a capacity of 240 kWh. The batteries will be recharged using a plug-in connector.

Featuring a door layout of 2+2+2, the vehicle can carry at least 75 passengers in one go, of whom 26 will travel seated. 10 of the seats will be accessible from the low floor. All passengers will be able to benefit from a range of amenities including, above all, air conditioning in the whole vehicle, a passenger information system with voice announcement, video surveillance, as well as USB ports installed in handrails, which allow passengers to recharge their mobile devices en route. The buses will also have a much less common feature, as they will comprise two ramps enabling entry of wheelchair-bound passengers or those travelling with prams or pushchairs; one of these ramps will be operated electrically, the other – manually.

For the order for Bilbao, the Polish producer will also apply innovative solutions regarding thermal management, whereby the vehicle will be automatically pre-conditioned to the desired temperature one hour before setting out – if the temperature outside drops below 15 degrees. This is not only beneficial for the driver’s and the passengers’ comfort, but it also allows to save the energy stored in the traction batteries, since the vehicle is heated using energy from the power grid, fed via a plug-in.

Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. started deliveries to Spanish customers in 2010. Since then, nearly 200 vehicles from the Bolechowo-based factory have made it all the way to the country on the Iberian Peninsula. Notable examples include 3 articulated electric buses supplied to Barcelona, and nearly 80 hybrid drive vehicles which can be encountered in Barcelona as well as the city of San Sebastian, located in the Basque Country.