Solaris will supply first hybrid bus in Poland to MPK Poznan

On Monday, 31 March 2008, representatives of Poznan municipal transport company MPK and Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. signed a contract for the supply of an innovative Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid bus. It will be the first bus in

Poland to use this state-of-the-art technology. The environmentally-friendly Solaris will arrive on the streets of Poznan in October this year.

Solaris Bus & Coach is the first bus manufacturer in Europe to offer a hybrid bus with volume-production technology. The first Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid was shown at the 2006 IAA Commercial Vehicles exhibition in Hanover, Germany. Solaris hybrid buses today are operated in the German cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Bochum and in Lenzburg in Switzerland. Vehicles for Bremen, Munich and Hanover are currently in production.

The Solaris hybrid bus ordered by MPK Poznan will belong to the second version of the Urbino 18 Hybrid, which has been enhanced based on experience gained in the operation of the first vehicles. The 18-metre, low-floor articulated bus will be capable of carrying up to 140 passengers.

"The modern, environmentally-friendly Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid for MPK Poznan will be the first of its kind in Poland and the eighth in Europe. This is a significant step for this innovative solution for urban public transport. I am convinced that the hybrid bus in the MPK fleet will act as an important point of reference during the international climate conference scheduled to take place in Poznan this December. Furthermore, the Poznan hybrid bus will be a stimulus for other bus operators in Poland to offset rising fuel prices with this trendsetting engine technology" - said Solange Olszewska, deputy president of Solaris Bus & Coach S.A.

"The city of Poznan places great emphasis on facilitating initiatives that help to protect the environment. It is therefore no coincidence that the first hybrid bus in Poland is being purchased during the Poznan Year of Climate and Environment and that it will enter service in time for the climate conference. The order was enabled by the commitment and assistance of Poznan City Council. Through cooperation with the Greater Poland Region Environment Fund, it has been possible to secure financial support of the European Union" - said Wojciech Tulibacki, managing director of Poznan municipal transport company MPK.

"The MPK fleet comprises 143 buses built in Bolechowo, including 65 carrying the Solaris brand. The hybrid bus will be the 66th bus for the Poznan municipal transport company to have the green dachshund as its symbol. Its colour demonstrates its friendliness towards nature - and in Poznan, it will in future have two hearts, which stand for the diesel and electric engines. Working together, they protect the environment and contribute to an excellent quality of life" - said Solange Olszewska.

The hybrid power train of the Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid combines a diesel engine with two electric engines. The advantages of this state-of-the-art technology are:

• fuel consumption reduced by between 15 and 30%, resulting in lower emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the main cause of global warming,
• nitrogen oxide emissions reduced by between 10 and 39%,
• emissions of particulate matter between 51 and 97% lower than on comparable conventional buses,
• lower noise level both inside and outside the vehicle,
• energy recuperated while braking is stored in special batteries and re-used for acceleration,
• lower engine load results in less frequent oil changes.

Thanks to these characteristics, Solaris hybrid buses are exceptionally clean and environmentally friendly. The innovative engine system is particularly suited to dense urban traffic such as found on the streets of Poznan, where the technology proves its superiority to conventional buses.