79 new electric buses for Warsaw

Warsaw's public transit operator MZA has just signed a contract for the delivery of 79 electric buses from Solaris Bus & Coach. It's the second order of Solaris electric buses that MZA has placed this year.

The agreement covers 50 articulated Urbino 18 articulated electric buses and 29 Urbino 12 (standard) 12-meter electric buses, with an option for a further 79 units. Deliveries are scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. The latest models ordered by MZA are set to feature a modular drive system architecture, which Solaris says “eliminates the so-called engine tower” thereby increasing space for passengers and additional batteries.

Both the standard and articulated buses will be equipped with Solaris High Energy batteries; 500kWh+ for the 12-meter models and over 700 kWHh for the articulated buses. Solaris has said that charging will be carried out via a plug-in connector, but has not shared details on the kind of charging infrastructure being operated by MZA in Warsaw.

Solaris EVs have been used for public transport in the Polish capital since 2015, with the partnership between MZA and Solaris itself stretching back nearly three decades. To date, Solaris has supplied MZA with almost 1350 vehicles – including 163 electric buses. This purchase itself follows an order earlier this year for 50 articulated Urbino 18 buses.

Jan Kuźmiński, CEO of Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe (MZA), said: “Thanks to the purchase of 79 brand-new Solaris buses, Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe will significantly expand its fleet of electric buses. However, this is only part of our ongoing investments in zero-emission vehicles – ultimately, as many as 258 electric buses may arrive within the next several months.”

solarisbus.com