16 Solaris Trollino 24 vehicles may be delivered to the Slovak capital

Solaris Bus & Coach, as part of a consortium, has submitted the best bid in a tender for the delivery of 16 Solaris Trollino 24 double-articulated trolleybuses for the Slovak carrier Dopravný Podnik Bratislava.

In mid-2023 the Solaris Trollino 24 can make its debut on the streets of Bratislava. Solaris submitted the best bid in a tender launched by Dopravný Podnik Bratislava (DPB) for the delivery of 16 16 bi-articulated trolleybuses. The Slovakian carrier could be the first customer to opt to purchase the longest vehicle in Solaris’s range. In November last year, operator DPB tested the 24-metre trolleybus in urban traffic, on all its routes. Due to year-on-year increases in passenger numbers, the carrier was faced with the need to increase passenger capacity on some of them. Therefore, the capacious trolleybus could be a perfect solution for metropolises with increased passenger traffic.

The bi-articulated vehicle made by Solaris was launched in 2019, at the Busworld trade fair in Brussels. It is driven by two traction motors of 160 kW each. Additional traction batteries, placed on the roof of the second section, can be recharged en route by collecting current from the overhead line. Thanks to them, the Trollino is also able to travel without any external power supply. By pressing one single button the driver can switch from the overhead line to the traction battery drive mode.

These over-24-metre trolleybuses can provide space for 160 passengers, including 60 seated. Passenger counting sensors are placed above the doors, arranged in a layout of 2-2-2-2-2. This innovative model features an array of amenities, enhancing safety and travel comfort. Operator Dopravný Podnik Bratislava is interested in standard solutions such as destination blinds, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, LED-lighting in the interior, and easily accessible USB ports. What is more, a CCTV system consisting of 7 external cameras and 9 cameras monitoring the vehicle interior can be installed to aid the driver and to enhance passenger safety.

Dopravný Podnik Bratislava could be the first carrier to decide to add bi-articulated Solaris Trollino 24 trolleybuses to its fleet. Solaris Bus & Coach is one of the biggest manufacturers of trolleybuses in Europe. The bus maker added these zero-emission vehicles to its offering back in 2001. Since then, it has supplied over 1700 trolleybuses to its customers in 18 European countries.