hydrogen

“Clean and sustainable transport is a cornerstone for the functioning of the towns and cities of the future. We are extremely proud to be able to deliver hydrogen buses to the city of Poznań and we are happy that its inhabitants will be able to see for themselves the qualities of hydrogen as a clean and efficient energy source”

Dariusz Michalak, CTO Solaris

Hydrogen driveline is becoming an increasingly popular choice in the Polish market. After Konin and Lublin, Poznań is the next city to choose the Urbino 12 hydrogen as its first hydrogen buses. MPK Poznań has made an impressive investment in 25 emission-free hydrogen-powered buses. These vehicles will join the already very modern city fleet, which, for several years, has been supported by 58 Solaris electric buses. 

“Public transport has undergone a remarkable green transition in Europe over the past few years. I am very glad to see that Poznań is not only keeping pace with these dynamic changes, but also undisputedly leading the field” said Dr. Eng. Dariusz Michalak, CTO, responsible, among other things, for the development of new products and the implementation of new technologies, at the ceremony of the handover of the first hydrogen buses. 

We have been talking for a long time about the growing market for hydrogen buses and the fact that hydrogen-powered vehicles are a viable option for urban mobility. This is evidenced by an impressive list of orders for such vehicles, including from Italy and Germany. 

130 URBINO 12 HYDROGEN BUSES
FOR BOLOGNA

– this is the largest hydrogen contract in our company as well as in the whole of Europe

Hydrogen buses, along with electric buses and trolleybuses, offer a complete solution for cities and operators looking to modernize their fleets with zero-emission vehicles. 

Recent tests* of Solaris hydrogen buses have shown the capability of covering up to 600 kilometers on a single tank. 

* based on energy consumption SORT 2 tests. 

In the photo, from left to right: Dariusz Michalak – CTO of Solaris, Jacek Jaśkowiak, Mayor of Poznan, Krzystof Dostatni, CEO of MPK Poznan.

HYDROGEN, AN INCREDIBLY CLEAN TECHNOLOGY 

The most important feature of the new buses is their zero-emission driveline. The Urbino 12 hydrogen vehicles use energy, derived from hydrogen, which is converted into electricity in the fuel cell. The chemical reaction that takes place in the fuel cell is extremely clean, as its only by-products are water and heat. These buses also have an impressive range. 

The hydrogen refueling process takes only about a dozen or so minutes. The refueling station is located in Poznań on Warsaw Street. In the future, not only MPK Poznań vehicles but also users of hydrogen-powered passengers cars will be able to take advantage of hydrogen refueling at this station.

“The fact that we will have the first publicly accessible hydrogen refueling station in Poznań will also lead to the development of this field, the transport industry, in other areas, perhaps in companies or private transportation,” said Krzysztof Dostatni, President of MPK Poznań. 

The cooperation between our company and MPK Poznań dates back to 1996 when we delivered the first buses to Poznań, which were produced in the newly established factory at that time. Over the years, the basket of orders has included various types of propulsion and lengths. Since 2019, the Municipal Transportation Company has opted exclusively for emission-free Solaris vehicles. “The transportation system must be tailored to each city. We are ready to help, advise, support, and share our knowledge and experience,” assures Dariusz Michalak, CTO Solaris.”