Solaris has been awarded an order for 87 hybrid buses that will be used in the metropolitan area of Barcelona (Spain). The hybrid fleet will be managed by AMB (Area Metropolitana de Barcelona), the institution that administers urban transport in the city and its neighboring municipalities. The low-emission hybrid Urbino will be delivered to the customer starting next November.
87 Solaris hybrid buses will hit the streets of the sunny metropolis of Barcelona, and the 36 districts that surround it. The 12-metre Urbino 12 hybrid vehicles will join 30 identical models that AMB (Area Metropolitana de Barcelona) ordered in March 2021. This impressive investment is in line with the policy adopted by Catalonia’s largest city to purchase only low- or zero-emission vehicles from 2021. The tender was managed by local operator TMB (owned by AMB), but the newly ordered Solaris buses, like the previous 30 vehicles, will join AMB’s fleet and will serve the entire Barcelona metropolitan area.
All the vehicles ordered will feature equipment similar to that installed in the models ordered in 2021. There will be a hybrid drive system consisting of an electric traction motor and an internal Euro 6 combustion engine producing over 150 kW. Thanks to supercapacitors, which store and use recovered energy, the buses will boast lower energy consumption and therefore lower emissions. Similar energy savings will be achieved with the Arrive & Go system, which turns off the engine when approaching a stop and turns it back on again when leaving. The purely electric operation mode reduces noise and emissions – benefiting city residents. Operating in the Arrive & Go mode, the buses will alert pedestrians to the presence of the electric vehicle with audible signals.
Passenger comfort will be enhanced by full-vehicle air conditioning, USB ports available to all travelers, as well as a modern passenger information system and white LED signs. To ensure the safety of passengers, the plastic parts of the passenger seats will be covered with an antibacterial coating. Safety will also be improved by cameras in place of the traditional side mirrors. This system offers the driver better visibility in bright sunlight, in the rain, and after dark. Drivers will benefit from a range of solutions to enhance their comfort, including an enclosed type of cab tailored to the individual needs of the customer. The Eco Driver Advisor system will be responsible for controlling and aiding economical driving.
Currently, more than 100 Solaris buses run in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, including almost 90 hybrid and 19 electric vehicles. Solaris is the European leader in the sale and production of low- and zero-emission buses. In recent years, Spanish operators – with their green purchases – have turned their market into one of our key ones. when it comes to the transition towards zero-emission mobility. Solaris is one of the main suppliers of zero-emission public transport vehicles in Spain.
SOURCE: Solaris
