Solaris celebrated its 20th anniversary in style by unveiling two new-generation vehicles – the new Urbino hybrid and the new Urbino CNG – at this year’s IAA Commercial Vehicles Fair in Hanover. The third bus on display at the company pavilion was the new Solaris Urbino electric which was named ‘Best City Bus of 2017’ and presented the ‘Bus of the Year’ Award. Solaris’ new generation cutting-edge battery-buses had its premiere at Busworld in Kortrijk in 2015 and have already been ordered by operators from Hanover, Hamburg and Tampere.
Urbino 12 Hybrid
The hybrid novelty fresh off Solaris’ gate is equipped with a serial hybrid drive by the US producer BAE Systems, the HybriDrive, a technology based on an electric engine fuelled with power from a power storage facility. This, in turn is charged with the help of a generator using a low-capacity Cummins diesel engine (a 210 HP Cummins ISB4.5E6). This environmental-friendly, partially electric drive allows to significantly reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emission into the atmosphere.
The new Urbino 12 hybrid offers also the possibility to install a Start/Stop system, which allows to completely turn off the diesel engine during stopovers and which allows to leave it in zero-emission mode. Furthermore customers can opt for an Arrive-and-Go system which additionally turns off the diesel engine when the bus is approaching a stop. Thanks to those solutions the hybrid bus of Solaris resembles an electric bus in functionality and according to various tests it is able to save up to 20 per cent of the fuel needed by similar vehicles with a conventional drive. To top it off, the engine is so quiet that the noise level can be reduced significantly, which comes in handy particularly in overcrowded city centres.
The vehicle boasts exceptional drive parameters, but what makes it stand out is the forceful, though smooth acceleration. One of the main features of the drive is that it recuperates kinetic energy during braking and then this energy is transformed and stored as electric power in a storage facility placed on the roof of the bus. The vehicle presented at IAA was equipped with 11.6 kWh batteries. Soon two more energy-storing options will be on offer, 0.82 kWh super-condensers and 31.8 kWh lithium-ion batteries.
The way the hybrid system elements are distributed (in the engine tower and on the roof of the vehicle) does not affect the number of passenger seats in the bus. The offered seat layouts in the new Solaris hybrid are the same as in the Urbino 12 with a conventional Cummins engine.
Urbino 12 CNG
The first edition of the 12-metre Urbino CNG uses the advantages of the new-generation Solaris, such as its light frame and state-of-the-art driveline, as well as the commodious and comfortable passenger space.
The drive unit of the new Urbino 12 CNG is a Cummins ISLG engine producing 320 horsepower and meeting the Euro-6 norm, and in the presented vehicle it is coupled with a VOITH Diwa.6 gearbox. What is new about this model is the installation of a CNG cylinder. Five composite tanks are fitted alongside rather than crosswise on the roof, as had been the case in the former Urbino version. The new gas tank construction technology allows to reduce the weight by up to 80 kilograms depending on the configuration. What is more, thanks to locating it alongside the bus, it was possible to reduce the number of cylinder valves. The model presented at the fair boasts gas tanks of a volume of 1575 l. The producer offers also bigger cylinders, containing 1875 litres, or smaller, 1260-litre ones. Thanks to this option the bus can be tailor-made to the needs of carriers.
Urbino 12 electric
The battery-powered Solaris Urbino, the best city bus of 2017, is an innovative electric bus equipped with Solaris’ high energy batteries delivering 240 kWh and complying with the most rigorous safety standards. The set has been divided into six separate packs of 40 kWh each. 160 kWh are located at the rear of the vehicle, while the rest is mounted on the roof, over the first axle. The new Urbino 12 electric has been fitted with an innovative pantograph charging system. 450 kW power allows for a quick recharge of the batteries on route. A traditional plug-in connection has also been provided and can be used for overnight charging at the depot.
Further premieres
The portfolio of the new-generation Solaris buses includes the so-far most popular models: the 12-meter and the 18-meter diesel engine buses, as well as the standard-length electric bus and the low-entry Urbino 12 LE. The premieres are to be held on various European exhibitions in the near future. Soon, we could also see a gas-fuelled Urbino 18 CNG and the electric Urbino 18 in the market. The Polish manufacturer has been gradually replacing the third-generation buses with the new Urbinos since 2014, when the world premiere of the first buses from the newly-designed family took place.
‘Partnership with JBM in India is an important foot forward for us’
– Dr. Andreas Strecker, CEO, Solaris
The Urbino Electric has been chosen as the Bus of the Year 2017. How has the customer response to the product been?
Urbino Electric, Bus of the Year 2017, is part of the three new buses that we have showcased at IAA this year. Automotive drive is the key motto of the show this year and we also see that the response to the new product and particularly the innovation is awesome. Our customers are very happy and they really value the products we have showcased.
How important is the Indian market for Solaris?
India has a big need for clean vehicles and the partnership we have started with JBM earlier this year will be an important foot forward for us. We would like to be one of the first few movers in the market to capture market share together with JBM.
What value do you think Solaris can add to the Indian market? What are your medium- to long-term plans for India?
Our years of experience and proven technology will help us integrate with JBM to add a lot of value to customers in the Indian market. We are building the prototypes of our 12 m bus which should be ready for sale in the next year or so. We are also looking at other lengths and have nominated our people from Solaris to work in India, so we are moving ahead in full steam.