The company will supply 79 and 30 electric buses to the cities of Warsaw and Gdansk respectively, deals which amount to a combined value of over €80 million.
One agreement sees Solaris and the Polish operator MZA Warsaw enter a contract for the supply of 79 electric buses. The agreement includes the delivery of 50 articulated Urbino 18 electric buses and 29 Urbino 12 electric buses. It also includes an option to purchase an additional 79 vehicles with a similar model distribution to that of the base contract.
In doing so, the Polish capital will further expand its already extensive fleet of electric buses, consolidating its position as the European frontrunner in zero-emission bus deployment. This transformation has been achieved in recent years through the fulfilment of ambitious decarbonisation targets.
MZA Warsaw’s order will feature buses equipped with a modular drive system that frees up interior space for passengers while also creating additional room on the roof to house all battery units. The buses will also be equipped with Solaris High Energy batteries, providing energy capacities of over 500 kWh for the 12-metre models and more than 700 kWh for the articulated versions. In accordance with GSR2 safety standards, the buses will feature driver assistance systems, including a blind-spot monitoring system and a drowsiness detection warning system for the driver.
Solaris and Warsaw’s public transport operator, MZA, have maintained a partnership spanning 28 years, during which time close to 1,350 vehicles have been delivered to the city. 2015 marked the introduction of the first Solaris electric buses in Warsaw. Since then, the operator has rolled out a total of 163 electric buses from the company, helping to establish Warsaw as a green capital.
Meanwhile, Solaris will supply 30 electric buses to Gdansk, a port city on Poland’s Baltic coast. Scheduled for delivery in Gdansk in September next year, the fleet will consist of 18 standard 12-metre buses and 12 articulated 18-metre buses. They will be operated by the publicly owned transport company Gdańskie Autobusy i Tramwaje. Each vehicle will feature two charging ports — one above the front right wheel and another on the left side — making daily maintenance and depot charging simpler for the operator.
These will be Solaris’ first zero-emission buses in Gdansk. They will also feature a modular drive system that allows for roof-mounted components, maximising passenger capacity: 70 on the 12-metre Urbino model and 107 on the articulated versions.
Poland: A Strategic Market for Solaris
Solaris has long played a pivotal role in the modernisation of public transport in Poland, and more recently, in its transition towards more sustainable transport. According to Poland’s “Recovery Plan” and energy policy, all city buses procured in cities of more than 100,000 residents must be zero-emission from 2026 onwards.
For more than two decades, Solaris has dominated the Polish urban bus market, with an annual market share of approximately 50%. This is evident in the more than 8,000 vehicles Solaris has delivered to Polish operators over the years, including nearly 1,200 zero emission buses (electric, hydrogen, and trolleybuses).
At present, Solaris has an order book worth over €500 million for the Polish market, with nearly 900 units on order. Indeed, this year has been especially strong for Solaris in Poland, with the manufacturer securing deals with various operators to supply more than 750 new units.
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