In the course of a public tender, MZK in Piła has purchased five state-of-the-art 12-metre electric buses of the Urbino electric type from Solaris. What is more, the commission also covers charging infrastructure for the vehicles: three stationary plug-in chargers, a pantograph charging station and transformer stations. The order is worth PLN 16 million.
“The contract signed today by representatives of MZK in Piła is an additional source of pride to us this year. It is yet another city which, benefiting from a long-standing collaboration with our firm, has opted for top notch solutions from a wide portfolio of zero-emission buses of Solaris. Piła provides an example for other local governments to emulate if they wish to actively contribute to improving the air and the life quality of its residents,” stated Petros Spinaris, Deputy CEO of Solaris Bus & Coach.
The electric drive of the innovative buses consists of two engines integrated in an electric axle, each of 125 kW. Of the three types of batteries offered by Solaris, MZK in Piła has opted for Solaris High Power batteries of 120 kWh, with a guaranteed range of 90 km on a single charge, for its buses. This type of energy storage enables a very quick recharging, lasting barely a few to a dozen or so minutes.
A total of 70 passengers can travel at the same time in Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses. The vehicles will be fitted with photocells enabling the automatic closing of doors without the involvement of the driver. The zero-emission and exceptionally quiet electric buses will feature air conditioning of the whole vehicle. Solaris will also provide an installation for the Piła city transport card system which its denizens are well-acquainted with.
The cooperation between Solaris and Piła dates back to 1997. Since then the urban operator Miejski Zakład Komunikacji in Piła and the municipality of Piła have bought 63 buses in total, including 13 hybrid vehicles and five electric ones – if one adds the contract signed today. So far, more than 350 cutting-edge Solaris Urbino 12 electric have been delivered to operators of 50 cities in 11 European countries.
