Hydrogen bus startup Arthur Bus files for insolvency in Poland
Arthur Bus GmbH was founded in Munich in spring 2021 with the aim of marketing hydrogen buses and eventually evolving into a ‘system manufacturer for mobility solutions.’ The plan was to launch production in Lublin, Poland, primarily using German capital. As early as spring 2022, Arthur Bus and its hydrogen bus, the ‘Arthur H2 Zero,’ was gaining attention. At the Bus2Bus trade fair in Berlin, Glonner told electrive that he had teamed up with entrepreneur Gerhard Mey in 2021 to establish the company – specifically Arthur Holding GmbH and its German subsidiary, Arthur Bus. In parallel, Arthur Bus sp. z o.o. was established in Wrocław, Poland.
The company’s further plans included developing a hydrogen articulated bus and a battery-electric version alongside the H2 solo bus. However, the insolvency of its Polish subsidiary has now seemingly derailed the project’s path to series production. That’s according to the portal busplaner, citing Polish media such as Transport Publiczny: the startup reportedly filed for insolvency for its Polish entity at the end of November 2025 and halted production in Lublin.
The insolvency leaves existing customers of the Arthur H2 Zero in a difficult position, including the northern German mid-sized company Buspunkt (Beverstedt), which ordered three vehicles, and, most notably, the city of Lublin, which ordered 20 buses. The situation for Lublin is particularly acute, as the procurement was to be funded by millions from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW), which will expire in a few months. If a replacement order is not placed quickly, the funding could be lost.
The production facility in Lublin has reportedly been deserted for weeks, with employees going unpaid for several months. Interestingly, the startup’s ties to Poland run deeper than initially apparent. As busplaner reports, the Arthur H2 Zero was not an in-house development but rather a hydrogen bus based on the Ursus Citysmile. The Polish manufacturer Ursus filed for insolvency in 2021. However, Rafał Słomka, a former Ursus manager, subsequently took on a key role at Arthur Bus sp. z o.o, where he became an important member of the management team.
The Lublin plant opened in 2021 to produce initial prototypes, but customer models never entered production. According to media reports, employees stated that the issues did not lie with the product or its quality but rather with the company’s challenging financial situation. “In 2023, the company recorded a loss of 6.6 million PLN, and in 2024, losses exceeded 19 million PLN. Nevertheless, it retained around 40 employees in Lublin (peaking at about 60), hoping to expand series production,” writes Transport Publiczny.
The insolvency application for Arthur Bus sp. z o.o. was submitted on 26 November 2025—despite the fact that the large order from the city of Lublin in March 2025 would have generated significant revenue. Co-founder and CEO Philipp Glonner left Arthur Bus in October, according to his LinkedIn profile. Similarly, former Quantron marketing chief Martin Lischka, who joined Arthur Bus in March 2025, recently announced his move to Holon/Benteler.
0 Comments