Solaris showcased its battery-electric city bus, the Urbino 10.5 electric, for the first time at Busworld. The compact public transport vehicle features Solaris’ modular drive system and is expected to have a range of around 600 kilometres.
New addition to Solaris’ electric Urbino family: with the Urbino 10.5 electric, the Polish manufacturer presents a 10.5-metre-long electric bus that is designed to score points with its manoeuvrability in urban environments. Solaris celebrated the world premiere of the new model at Busworld in Brussels (4–9 October). It promises a range of around 600 kilometres according to the E-SORT test (‘Electric Bus Standardised On-Road Test cycles’).
For context: Solaris offers a range of city buses in lengths from nine to 24 metres. The bestsellers are the 12-metre standard buses and 18-metre articulated buses. Below the normal solo buses, Solaris is now strengthening its range of electric compact buses with the Urbino 10.5 electric. The new model uses Solaris’ high-energy batteries with a capacity of around 350 kWh, “while configurations with a capacity of over 400 kWh are also available,” according to the Polish manufacturer. They also state a range of around 600 kilometres – although it remains unclear whether this figure applies to the 350 or 400 kWh version. The new bus can be charged via a plug or pantograph, but Solaris does not specify the charging capacity in its announcement.
For the drive system, the manufacturer has opted for a modular system with a 240 kW synchronous motor at its heart in its new 10.5-metre-long vehicle. According to the company, the arrangement of the drive components leaves enough space on the roof to accommodate the battery sizes mentioned above. Solaris states that the vehicle can carry up to 85 passengers (including up to 33 seated), and the manufacturer estimates the turning circle to be less than 17 metres.
Solaris’ specifications suggest that the Urbino 12 electric, which was updated in 2024, served as the inspiration for the development of the 10.5-metre-long electric bus. Thanks to a 600 kWh battery, it has also featured a range of around 600 kilometres since last year. Previously, the Urbino 12 electric had a maximum capacity of 520 kWh, and before 2022, it was only up to 395 kWh. ICPT continues to be the battery supplier. The Polish supplier manufactures the ready-to-install battery systems for Solaris, but not the battery cells they contain. These are sourced from well-known cell manufacturers; since 2022, there has been a supply agreement for LFP cells from CATL. The total passenger capacity in the twelve-metre-long solo bus is now 94 people (in combination with the smallest battery option of 300 kWh, mind you).
In the Urbino 10.5 electric, too, the stated passenger capacity of up to 85 people is likely to be achievable only in combination with a small battery option. However, Solaris itself does not go into detail on this. Instead, the company has announced a number of familiar features for the compact bus. These include air conditioning with a CO2 heat pump, a comprehensive driver assistance package and, as an option, the Mirror Eye system, which replaces conventional mirrors with cameras. The Polish manufacturer also highlights a “recyclability rate of nearly 97%” as a special feature, putting the Urbino 10.5 electric “at the front of its class” in terms of sustainability. The model is also said to be easy to maintain and inexpensive to operate thanks to its standardised drive and body components.
Solaris claims that the Urbino 10.5 electric now gives it the largest portfolio of zero-emission buses in Europe, both in terms of length and drive types: ‘The extensive range includes battery electric buses, hydrogen buses and trolleybuses from 9 to 24 metres in length. This wide selection allows operators to choose the solutions best suited to their different transport requirements.’
In addition to the new model, Solaris will also be presenting two of its flagship vehicles at the trade fair in Brussels: the Urbino 12 electric and the Urbino 18 hydrogen. The manufacturer can be found at stand 502 in hall 5.
solarisbus.com
