Solaris, the Polish bus manufacturerr which sold a record 1,487 electric buses in 2019, is on a roll. Today, Germany’s public transport operator in Hamburg, Hamburger Hochbahn, announced the list of potential suppliers of 530 electric buses to be delivered between 2021-2025. Solaris says it is among the three shortlisted OEMs with its offer of 12- and 18-metre electric buses.

Hamburger Hochbahn is one of the biggest public transport carriers in Germany. For many years the company has been investing in its fleet of zero-emission buses. In 2014, Solaris delivered two electric buses with a hydrogen fuel cell to Hamburg. Then, from 2016 to 2019, the Polish manufacturer delivered further 13 battery buses to Hamburger Hochbahn.

This year Hamburger Hochbahn announced a call for tender for the delivery of 530 twelve and eighteen-metre (articulated) battery buses. Three potential manufacturers were officially shortlisted to deliver the buses and the list was announced today. Solaris is among them. The vehicles will be ordered in tranches over the next 5 years. By 2025, the Hamburg transport operator's fleet is to be expanded by a total of 530 electric buses.

“With the order, we are laying an essential foundation stone for the complete conversion of our fleet to climate-friendly drives. For the first time in Germany, we also applied sustainability criteria in the tender. We want to take on a global responsibility in addition to our local responsibility. An important step on the way to real green mobility and a climate-neutral company,” said Henrik Falk, CEO of Hamburger Hochbahn.

“Being one of three key suppliers of a total of 530 electric buses for the customer from Hamburg is a great recognition for our achievements in e-mobility. It is a framework contract and the extent of the final order might vary. However I sincerely hope that Solaris will be delivering within the next four years both 12-metre buses and articulated ones, which will at the same time allow us to maintain our leading position on the market of electric buses in Europe,” said Petros Spinaris, Deputy CEO of Solaris.

In its bid submitted to Hamburger Hochbahn Solaris presented two bus models: the Urbino 12 electric and the Urbino 18 electric. In its version for the operator from Hamburg both vehicles will be fitted with high-capacity batteries Solaris High Energy+, engines integrated into the drive axle and will be plug-in charged. Additionally the vehicles will feature thermal preconditioning during battery recharge. It’s worth mentioning that the buses will feature solutions additionally increasing the driver’s and passengers’ safety, such as blind spot assistance system that warns the driver about passers-by and cyclists who are close to the vehicle.

Also read: Solaris to deliver 70 low-floor CNG buses to Warsaw transport operator

Solaris registers record sales of 1,487 electric buses in 2019

Austria’s largest bus operator testing Solaris hydrogen bus