Press releases

2022/04/01

SOLARIS AWARDED TWO CONTRACTS FOR THE SUPPLY OF SUSTAINABLE BUSES FOR THE CITIES OF BARCELONA AND DORTMUND

The CAF Group has just been awarded two new contracts for the supply of low and zero emission buses in Spain and Germany. One contract is for the supply of 87 hybrid vehicles to Barcelona from the end of this year onwards, while the other covers the delivery of 30 electric buses to the city of Dortmund in Germany. The total value of both contracts amounts to approximately €60 million.

Solaris is the European leader in the sale and production of zero emission buses and, over the last few years, it is experiencing an important increase in projects developed in this segment of the Spanish market. 

As regards the first contract, this is for the supply of 87 hybrid buses to operate in the metropolitan area and suburban districts of this capital city of Cataluña. This fleet of vehicles will be managed by transport operator AMB (Metropolitan Area of Barcelona), a company that is responsible for urban transport in the city and its neighbouring municipalities. 

The order covers hybrid vehicles of the Urbino 12 model, to be added to the 30 similar buses that AMB also awarded Solaris in March 2021. Solaris currently has more than 100 buses operating in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, including 90 hybrid and 19 electric vehicles. This major investment in this type of technology serves to confirm the city's commitment to more sustainable transport and is in line with the policy adopted in 2021 when the city council decided that, from then onwards, it would only purchase low or zero emission vehicles. 

Solaris will also supply thirty Urbino 18 articulated electric buses to the German city of Dortmund. Specifically, these are to be delivered to the public operator Dortmunder Stadtwerke AG, which has set in motion a long-term plan directed at reducing environmental contamination and noise in urban areas. 

These will be the first Solaris electric buses to be added to this operator's fleet in the capital city of North-Rhine Westphalia, given that it previously purchased a number of Solaris buses equipped with conventional engines. 

In addition to other innovative solutions, the Solaris electric buses to be added to the fleet at Dortmund, will feature in-vehicle thermal comfort, guaranteed by an efficient and eco-friendly air conditioning system that is based on a heat pump that makes use of external heat to achieve the right ambient temperature in the vehicle interior. This solution makes it possible to increase the vehicle's energy efficiency, resulting in a greater driving range. 

It should be underscored that Germany is the second largest market in terms of the number of e-buses registered. Solaris currently has an e-bus market share of more than 20% in Germany, with 250 electric buses already delivered and with more new electric vehicles soon to be added thanks to the projects recently awarded to Solaris in this country.