Solaris wins 30 e-buses in Genoa, Italy

Solaris wins 30 e-buses in Genoa, Italy. The news was ‘in the air’ already last summer, but now it’s official: the manufacturer has achieved another success in the Italian electric bus market, winning a tender for the delivery of as many as 30 e-buses to an AMT customer in Genoa (a tender that at the beginning was supposed to be awarded to Chinese producer Alfabus). The coastal city wants to replace its fleet with electric buses only by 2025. The value of the new contract exceeds EUR 15 million.

The procurement launched by the public transport company of Genoa stood out for being the first tender in Italy to gather a broad participation of manufacturers (Alfabus, Solaris, VDL, Irizar, BYD, EvoBus and Iveco).

A few days ago Solaris unveiled its new e-midibus Solaris Urbino 9 Electric LE.

Solaris electric buses in Genoa

The fleet of AMT (Azienda Mobilità e Trasporti SpA) in Genoa will soon be joined by 30 Solaris electric buses. The investment in innovative rolling stock is part of the Italian carrier’s extensive plan to fully electrify the city’s bus fleet. According to the agreement, the innovative vehicles will be delivered to the capital of Liguria in the first quarter of 2022. The value of the order is over EUR 15 million.

Today, more than half of the electric buses that run on Italian streets are Solaris vehicles, and in 2020 the manufacturer had almost 70 percent of the electric bus market share (mainly due to ATM Milano orders from a framework agreement of 250 e-buses).

Solaris buses have been known to the inhabitants of Genoa since 2013. For the first time, however, the manufacturer will deliver electric vehicles to a coastal Italian city. The carrier decided on the flagship Urbino 12 electric, which was hailed the Bus of the Year 2017.

The carrier decided to use Solaris High Energy batteries with a capacity of over 250 kWh, in which the energy will be charged via a plug-in connector. Each of the Urbino 12 electric in Genoa will have two plug-in connectors – on the right and left above the front wheel arch. The drive unit, which will be a 220 kW central engine, will ensure a harmonious and reliable ride.

No side mirrors for Solaris e-buses in Genoa

The interior of the Urbino 12 electric can accommodate 24 seated passengers. Climatic comfort will be ensured by efficient and ecological air conditioning with a CO2 heat pump. The complete driver’s cabin will additionally facilitate the driver’s work, and the safety of driving will be increased by MirrorEye cameras instead of side mirrors, which increase the field of view, but also improve visibility in strong sunlight, in rainy weather and after dark. Moreover, thanks to this solution, the vehicle is narrower, which increases its aerodynamics and allows easier maneuvering in the narrow and narrow streets, which are common in Genoa.

To increase safety during the coronavirus pandemic, the carrier has opted for an internal air purification system that will help stop the spread of the virus. In addition, the interior of the bus will be covered with a nanotechnology-based transparent protective coating with microscopic ceramic particles.

«I am delighted that Genoa has decided to transform public transport with Solaris. I believe that 30 exceptionally innovative buses will bring the city closer to achieving its ambitious goals to electrify the bus fleet by 2025. It is worth emphasizing that our products received the maximum number of points in the tender technical evaluation, which is one of the reasons why Solaris’ offer turned out to be the winner – despite strong competition», said Alberto Fiore, Managing Director of Solaris Italia.