Barcelona orders 38 zero-emission Solaris buses

The carrier Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) is continuing its impressive investments in zero-emission public transport. Solaris will deliver 36 Urbino 12 and two units of articulated hydrogen buses to the city. Deliveries are scheduled for 2024.

The city has opted for zero-emission buses powered by electricity which comes from hydrogen technology. The order includes 36 Urbino 12-meter hydrogen buses and two units of 18-meter articulated hydrogen buses. Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona already owns over 130 Solaris buses.

The Urbino 12 hydrogen buses will be fitted with sets of cutting-edge 70 kW fuel cells. In articulated version fuel cells are of 100kW output power. The vehicles will also feature a relatively small Solaris High Power traction battery fulfilling an auxiliary function. The heart of the vehicle will be a central traction electric motor.

Vehicles will boast state-of-the-art solutions, well-known to passengers in Barcelona and employees of TMB. An efficient air conditioning system will ensure a comfortable ride on hot days. The vehicle will also sport USB ports on board enabling the recharging of mobile devices while travelling. In their everyday work the drivers will benefit from an array of solutions to aid their work and improve road safety. Particularly worthy of note is the eMirror system, consisting of cameras that replace conventional side-view mirrors. All the ordered vehicles will also be equipped with a Mobileye Shield+ device that minimises the risk of colliding with pedestrians or cyclists.

Solaris vehicles first joined the fleet of TMB in Barcelona in 2015. Barcelona was also one of the first cities to see Urbino 18 electric buses roll out onto its streets back then. The carrier has regularly returned to that model by placing orders in 2018 and 2020. Now Solaris hydrogen buses will make their way to Barcelona for the very first time. In total, Solaris has delivered more than 900 buses to Spain, including 5 Urbino 12 hydrogen units to Palma de Mallorca.