The First Electric Urbino 8.9 LE Buses in the Baltics Expected in Jūrmala

The city of Jūrmala has just purchased two Solaris electric buses, and already in the third quarter of this year, Urbino 8.9 LE electric buses will appear on the roads of the resort city. They will be the first Solaris electric buses not only in Latvia but in all the Baltic states, the manufacturer reported on Monday on the website www.autobusi.net. As stated on the website, Jūrmala is a seaside resort city west of Riga that has decided to take its first step towards electromobility. 

The buses ordered are compact vehicles measuring 8.9 metres in length. They will be equipped with Solaris High Energy batteries with a capacity of 160 kWh, which can be easily charged using a plug-in device located on the right side of the bus behind the rear axle. The dashboard will display the charging status and the achievable range. The Urbino electric bus’s drive system consists of a traction motor.
The buses will be equipped with standard features that will increase driver and passenger comfort and safety: air conditioning, a driver alcohol-monitoring system, heated mirrors, and video recorders for the passenger compartment and the exterior of the bus, allowing the driver to record all incidents occurring in the vehicle. The Solaris buses will be equipped with a passenger information system. For passenger convenience, the vehicles will also have three USB charging sockets.

In accordance with the Urbino 8.9 LE model, the floor will be covered with a wood-like surface, further emphasising the bus’s environmentally friendly character. The Jūrmala logo will also be incorporated into the fabric of the upholstered seats.

In 2017, Solaris presented its latest solutions for electric public transport, enabling the city to test a 12-metre electric Urbino bus. This experience allowed the customer to define specific requirements and determine the precise equipment needed.
The Baltic states are an important export market for Solaris. The company is currently fulfilling a framework agreement for the delivery of 175 buses. The manufacturer has also recently concluded an order for the delivery of a further 53 Urbino buses to Rīgas Satiksme. A contract for the delivery of 150 buses has likewise been signed with Vilnius. Meanwhile, the Lithuanian city of Kaunas decided to purchase trolleybuses—a total of 85 vehicles—which will be delivered in 2019. As the manufacturer emphasises, although the Jūrmala contract is not large, it is important because it marks the introduction of Solaris electric buses in the Baltic states. It is also important to note that vehicles using alternative energy sources are becoming an increasingly significant part of the production of the Bolechowo factory.