Solaris Bus & Coach to supply 40 hydrogen buses headed to Austria by 2023

Solaris Bus & Coach to supply 40 hydrogen buses headed to Austria by 2023

February 11, 2021 0 By Alicia Moore

The company was tapped as an exclusive supplier by ÖBB Postbus for 182 total vehicles.

ÖBB Postbus selected Solaris Bus & Coach which has now signed three framework agreements for supplying 40 hydrogen buses and 142 diesel vehicles of different lengths.

These vehicles will be used throughout Austria for both conventional and emission-free driving.

In total, Solaris will be supplying up to 40 hydrogen buses in addition to 142 conventional vehicles. This means that not all the vehicles will provide emission-free service. However, the first 40 H2-powered vehicles will be for only the next two years. The hope is that they will prove cost effective and practical, warranting expansions of emissions-free vehicles within the fleets.

Österreichische Postbus AG is the largest operator of regional bus services in Austria and is a market leader there. It has signed three framework agreements from 2021 through 2023. The H2-powered buses that Solaris will supply will be the Urbino 12 hydrogen buses, which operate completely carbon emission free. This model is known for its environmental friendliness as well as being technologically advanced. For this reason, it has recently become quite popular among European carriers.

The vehicles that aren’t hydrogen buses will be required to comply with strict Euro 6 emissions standards.

The conventional vehicles will include as many as 45 of the Urbino 18, up to 60 of the Urbino 12, and up to 17 of the Urbino 8,9 LE buses.

Those that are powered by H2 will be among Solaris’s most innovative vehicles. They operate at an exceptionally low noise level, are recognized for their high quality, and feature low vibrations and no greenhouse gas emissions. They are expected to provide Austrian passengers with a high level of travel comfort.

The hydrogen fuel powering these vehicles is stored as a gas in compressed tanks until it is used to generate electricity in the 70 kW fuel cells. Reverse electrolysis is used to produce the electric power, Hydrogen buses - image of buswhich is sent directly into the driveline (electric motors and axle). Only heat and water steam are produced as emissions as a result of this process to power the hydrogen buses.

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