Solaris has officially entered the North American market with the debut of its Urbino 40 electric bus at the APTA TRANSform & EXPO in Chicago. The vehicle is built on a platform specifically designed to comply with local US regulations.
The Urbino 40 features a length of 12.44 meters, a gross vehicle weight of 20.3 tonnes, and offers motor options of 230 or 300 kW. It is equipped with a 528 kWh battery pack mounted on the roof.
The company also announced an upcoming articulated variant, the Urbino 60 electric, measuring 18.59 meters with a 704 kWh battery and two 230 kW motors. The model names reflect their lengths in feet.
Solaris plans to leverage the existing production and sales infrastructure of its parent company, CAF, which has operated in the US rail sector for decades. CEO Javier Iriarte has overseen this expansion strategy since 2023.
Initial North American orders include four buses for King County Metro in Seattle, with an option for 12 more, and six vehicles for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Additionally, Solaris is supplying 107 trolleybuses to TransLink in Vancouver.
