The Italian city Bolzano has ordered 12 of these Solaris hybrids “new generation”.
Bolzano invests strongly in modern and clean public transport. In 2018 Solaris delivered the first electric buses to the city. The public transport company SASA Bolzano is here by the first customer to receive the newest development of Solaris.
Hydrogen technology used for power generation will enable buses to traverse even longer distances completely emission-free, according to Solaris. The range for the hydrogen Urbino’s should be around 350 km on a single refill. The hydrogen is stored in composite roof tanks.
The vehicles will be equipped with cutting-edge fuel cell (60 kW) and Solaris High Power batteries. The battery is filled with energy derived from hydrogen and through the regenerative braking, though it is also possible to recharge it by means of a plug-in socket. Complementing the driveline is an axle with integrated electric motors (2×125 kW). In order to reduce energy use to a maximum, the vehicle will feature a climate control system with a CO₂ heat pump that allows to use waste heat from the fuel cell. The sole products of the chemical reaction occurring in the fuel cell are heat and steam. Consequently, the vehicle does not generate any noxious substances whatsoever.
The contract includes an 8 year-long service and maintenance package and a special drivers’ and workshop personnel’s training about the safety aspects of using and servicing hydrogen vehicles.
