In recent days, eight Urbino 18 hydrogen buses from Solaris Bus & Coach joined the fleet of public transport operator Regionalverkehr Köln GmbH (RVK) in Cologne, Germany – a fleet that already includes 46 Solaris hydrogen buses.
This time, they are 18-meter articulated buses. Solaris is currently fulfilling an order for 20 additional hydrogen buses, placed in March: nine 12-meter and 11 18-meter buses.
Upon completion of all deliveries, RVK will have a fleet of 84 hydrogen-powered Solaris buses, the largest in Europe.
The articulated hydrogen buses delivered to RVK are equipped with a 100 kW fuel cell system. These Urbino 18 hydrogen buses can be refueled with over 50 kilograms of gaseous hydrogen, stored in eight tanks located on the roof. The buses feature a modular drive system that eliminates the need for a traditional engine compartment, allowing for increased passenger capacity.
The vehicles from the latest order feature a high-efficiency air-conditioning system with heat pump functionality, an advanced monitoring and passenger information system, as well as numerous systems supporting the driver’s work.
Key advantages of hydrogen buses include zero-emission operation, high passenger capacity, long range on a single refueling and short refueling process. These are crucial parameters for operators including RVK that serve areas connecting rural regions with cities and transport large numbers of commuters to work every day.
RVK has been implementing its hydrogen strategy for years, with Solaris as a partner in this transformation. Over 40 customers from 10 European countries have signed contracts for over 700 Solaris Urbino hydrogen buses, with nearly 250 already serving passengers in 25 cities across Europe. The company also provides support for the after-sales service and maintenance of hydrogen vehicles.
