San Francisco orders six Solaris battery-electric buses

Solaris Bus & Coach has announced that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has exercised contractual options to order six Solaris electric buses, including three 40-foot and three 60-foot articulated battery-electric vehicles (meaning half of the delivery will be made of 12-meter units, the other half of 18-meter articulated models).

The specifications largely follow those of four electric buses previously ordered by King County Metro in Seattle, with operational and revenue equipment adapted to San Francisco’s requirements.

Solaris to deliver electric buses in California

The expansion in North America is among Solaris’ strategic purposes. The company has previously been awarded battery-electric bus orders to Seattle and trolleybuses to Vancouver, Canada. To date, Solaris has supplied over 6,000 zero-emission vehicles across nearly 30 countries. However, the company ranks only 7th in terms of BEV bus registrations in the first half of 2025, with slightly over 350 units delivered for a 6% market share. On the other hand, Solaris is leading the (small) hydrogen bus market in the continent.

“This order from San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency marks another milestone in our strategy to enter the U.S. market. I would like to thank the SFMTA for choosing Solaris, and we assure them that we will deliver zero-emission battery-electric vehicles that meet all local requirements and offer cutting-edge technology in this segment,” said Agata Stańda, CEO of Solaris Bus & Coach.

“We are excited to partner with Solaris as they expand into the North American market,” said Julie Kirschbaum, SFMTA Director of Transportation. “At SFMTA, we are committed to bringing our riders the best possible experience, and the Solaris buses offer modern customer amenities that make transit more comfortable and accessible. Equally important, these vehicles prioritize operator safety and reliability, which is central to our mission of providing safe, world-class service for San Francisco. This order represents both our commitment to zero-emission technology and our enthusiasm for welcoming innovative partners like Solaris to the U.S. market.”