The public transport operator in Cologne, Regionalverkehr Köln GmbH (RVK), has once again chosen Solaris Bus & Coach as its supplier of hydrogen-powered buses, ordering 20 new buses. Nine of the buses are Urbino 12 hydrogen buses with a length of 12 meters, while 11 are articulated Urbino 18 hydrogen buses. After the order is fulfilled, the hydrogen fleet in this German city will have a total of 84 Solaris buses.
There are already 46 Solaris hydrogen buses in Cologne, with another 18 vehicles in production and delivery. The newly ordered buses are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2025. The continued investment in hydrogen-based public transportation confirms Cologne’s commitment to the development of hydrogen technology, which is becoming the foundation for the city’s public transportation system.
“For us, another order for Solaris hydrogen buses of this number demonstrates the high level of confidence in our company and its products,” says Christian Goll, managing director of Solaris Deutschland GmbH. “It’s also a sign that the development toward innovative and emission-free public transportation is progressing rapidly. We are proud that RVK, as a pioneer in this field, has once again opted for our vehicles and that our longstanding, trusting cooperation can be further strengthened in this way.”
“Step by step, we are getting closer to meeting our goal: no emissions at all,” adds Dr. Marcel Frank, managing director of RVK. “Working together with local authorities and our transportation board, we invested very early in hydrogen solutions, including the appropriate infrastructure. As a result, as a major regional carrier, we already have a full hydrogen mobility network in place.”
The Urbino 12 hydrogen and Urbino 18 hydrogen buses on order are equipped with the latest fuel cells with powers of 70 and 100 kW, respectively. The guaranteed range of both vehicles is 350 km, regardless of atmospheric and topographic conditions. The buses will have high-efficiency air conditioning with a CO2 heat pump, and an advanced monitoring and passenger information system. Driver assistance systems on board include the fleet monitoring and remote management system eSConnect and the MobilEye Shield+ system, which detects objects in the immediate vicinity of the bus.
Solaris’ market share in 2023 reached 44.5% in the hydrogen segment. A total of 180 Solaris hydrogen buses already are operating in 24 cities in 10 European countries. For 2024–2026, the company’s order portfolio for hydrogen buses is more than 500 vehicles.