Solaris continues to cement its position as European market leader for zero-emission city buses, where it ranks first in terms of the total number of zero-emission buses supplied since 2012.
This time, operators Transdev and Arriva have placed their trust in CAF, with Solaris supplying 96 and 30 buses respectively for use on roads and in cities throughout the Netherlands. As a whole, both contracts are worth approximately €90 million.
In addition to these new contracts, it must be pointed out that Solaris was recently honoured with the prestigious "Bus of the Year 2025" award for the Solaris Urbino 18 hydrogen model at the IAA Transportation Fair in Hanover.
Transdev to add 96 Solaris buses to its fleet in Utrecht
Transdev Nederland Holding, one of the largest transport operators in the Netherlands, has awarded Solaris a major order to supply 96 electric buses, corresponding to four different Urbino vehicle models, with varying lengths depending on route requirements.
The new fleet of zero-emission vehicles that Solaris will supply to Transdev will serve the province of Utrecht in the centre of the country. Delivery is scheduled for the last quarter of 2025. On that specific date, at the end of next year, a 10-year public transportation concession awarded by the Utrecht Provincial Council to Transdev will start. The concession covers the management of public transport in Utrecht and the surrounding area, with 50 bus lines and the 3 lines of the city's tram network, which are operated using over 50 CAF trams procured in recent years.
This is not Solaris' first project with Transdev Nederland, as the company also supplied one of its subsidiaries, Connexxion, with a fleet of 20 hydrogen buses which have been in operation in South Holland for 3 years.
30 Electric Buses for Arriva to Operate in the West Brabant Region
Solaris will also manufacture 30 electric buses for the operator Arriva: 26 Urbino 12-metre and 4 articulated 18-metre buses that will operate in the West Brabant region from 2025. This investment represents part of the operator's plan to convert its entire bus fleet in the region to a zero-emission fleet before the new concession commences in mid-2025.
In this case, the vehicles feature a new modular drive system architecture that does away with the so-called engine tower. This design increases passenger room and enables the batteries to be installed solely on the roof. Both the 12-metre and 18-metre vehicles will be equipped with batteries with an approximate capacity of 400 kWh, and they will be charged via a plug socket.
Finally, the operator has chosen state-of-the-art safety systems, including a comprehensive monitoring system with Fisheye cameras for the front and right-hand side of the vehicle, as well as cameras instead of the traditional wing mirrors.
Solaris Receives ‘Bus of the Year 2025’ Award for its Urbino 18 Hydrogen-powered Model
The international jury of the prestigious Bus of the Year Awards presented the ‘Bus of the Year 2025’ award to Solaris' hydrogen-powered Urbino 18 at the gala event held to mark the inauguration of the IAA Transportation trade fair in Hanover. This is the second time in the history of the competition that a Solaris vehicle has received the Bus of the Year recognition, as in 2017 the award went to the Solaris electric Urbino 12 model, representing a milestone in the recent progress of the bus market. It should be pointed out that, in both cases, Solaris has made clear its firm commitment to innovation, being the first manufacturer in this award's history to take home the award with both a battery-powered bus and a hydrogen-powered vehicle.
On this occasion, the hydrogen-powered Solaris Urbino 18 was competing with models from other manufacturers in the Bus Euro Test, held last May; a reputable test held every two years, which involves a jury of experts analysing and assessing a wide range of vehicle performance features, such as acceleration, braking distance, vibration and noise levels, as well as other vehicle features relating to safety and comfort, both from the driver's and passenger's perspectives.
Solaris developed this articulated vehicle to meet the growing demand for hydrogen-powered vehicles. This clean technology allows the Solaris Urbino 18 model to perform optimally on increasingly longer journeys and can travel up to 600 km with just one refuelling procedure, with full vehicle refuelling taking only 20 minutes. Solaris currently has an order book of more than 600 hydrogen vehicles, positioning it as the clear market front runner in this sector in Europe.
.