Electric bus under tests: behind the scenes

On a frosty February morning in 2021, Solaris Urbino 15 LE electric entered the test track in Bednary in Greater Poland. Then the vehicle visited Norway, where it was tested by local carriers and passengers. Electric bus under tests? We reveal the backstage!

Bednary test track

This newest electric bus in the Solaris portfolio (you can read more about the Urbino 15 LE electric HERE) was tested on the track in Bednary in conditions as close as possible to those for which it was created – cold, snowy areas of Scandinavia and long intercity routes. Five experienced drivers were invited to test the premiere model in demanding winter conditions. What features of the vehicle could the testing drivers find out about? The Urbino 15 LE electric intercity bus was tested, among others, in the areas of energy consumption, noise level, slalom driving, ground control, acceleration, braking and hill starts.

As confirmed by these winter tests, the Urbino 15 LE electric guarantees its passengers unique driving conditions. The engine work is quiet and smooth, the use of the third axle as a steering wheel ensures stability, better grip and steering, and the luxurious interior completes the travel comfort. Modern systems implemented in the vehicle ensure maximum efficiency and safety. Bearing in mind the conditions in northern European countries, this zero-emission bus has been equipped with such solutions as a built-in sandbox, a storage box for snow chains, hybrid heating based on a heat pump, ADAS or ESC driver assistance systems.

Interested about the report from the Bednary test track? Have a nice watching!

Norway

Norway was chosen as the test site for the company’s newest electric bus for a reason. The latest product in the emission-free Solaris portfolio has been designed with both urban agglomerations and intercity routes in mind. For this purpose, the fully electric bus meets both class I and class II approval requirements. Solaris Urbino 15 LE electric was created mainly for Scandinavian carriers, where intercity connections are very popular. Therefore, after the experience gained from the track in Bednary, tests of the electric bus were also carried out in Norway.

The electric bus under tests was presented to carriers from Oslo and the vicinity of the Norwegian capital. Then the inhabitants of Kristiansand could see its advantages. To refill the energy in the batteries, the Urbino 15 LE electric used the infrastructure that is already in these cities: pantographs and plug-in chargers, present both in the depot and on the route. What is especially valuable in this type of presentations, line tests with drivers and passengers have been planned.

To be able to have the bus present in Norway as the first country to show our new product, is simply amazing. A lot of work has been accomplished, both with eager clients and the great team in our factory to create our new product of our 15m bus. Pure electric! We are a customer oriented company and feedbacks are important to us.

– Sverre Skaar, Managing Director of Solaris Norge AS.