18 articulated Solaris e-buses to go to Cracow

Solaris has won a tender held by public transport operator Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne (MPK) in Cracow for the delivery of electric buses. At the end of October the carrier signed a contract with the manufacturer for the delivery of 18 articulated electric vehicles. The contract is worth over PLN 98 million.

Public transport company Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne (MPK) in Cracow has again opted for Solaris to supply it with cutting-edge zero-emission solutions. This time, the carrier placed an order for 18 articulated battery-powered buses. The contract includes an option to order an additional three Urbino 18 electric units. The contract is worth over PLN 98 million.

The e-buses chosen by MPK in Cracow will be, in terms of their design, adapted for both charging using a plug-in connector and pantograph charging. The energy storage system will consist of Solaris High Energy batteries with a capacity of over 400 kWh. To boost the buses’ efficiency and to reduce energy consumption even further, the propulsion system will employ innovative SiC technology, using silicon carbide-based circuits.

The buses will feature a 2-2-2-2 door layout and will be able to carry 141 passengers, including 43 seated. The buses will boast an efficient air conditioning system, a comprehensive passenger information system, a video surveillance system and USB ports for charging smartphones. Importantly, all systems and devices installed in the bus, including heating, will be powered solely by electricity.

As recently as July this year, the carrier placed an order for 20 Solaris e-buses, i. e. 7 Urbino 18 electric and 13 Urbino 12 electric units. This batch will now be joined by 18 Urbino 18 electric vehicles, which means that next year a total of 38 Solaris e-buses, including 25 articulated vehicles, will make their way to Cracow. Currently, the city’s fleet boasts 76 e-buses manufactured by Solaris. All in all, Cracow will soon boast an impressive fleet of 114 Urbino electric vehicles.

It is also worth mentioning that it was Cracow where the launch of the new hydrogen-fuelled model, Urbino 18 hydrogen, took place in September. Moreover, MPK Kraków has been testing the 12-metre hydrogen-powered Solaris bus within its network since June.