In-der-City-Bus (ICB), the public transport operator in Frankfurt, has placed a new order with Solaris for nine Urbino 18 Hydrogen articulated buses, expanding its fleet of eco-friendly vehicles. The new buses are set to be delivered in July 2025, adding to the 23 Solaris fuel cell buses already in operation in the city.
This order marks a continuation of ICB’s partnership with Solaris, which began about two years ago with the delivery of 13 Urbino 12 Hydrogen buses. Last year, following a Europe-wide tender, ICB ordered an additional ten Urbino 12 Hydrogens. In addition to the hydrogen buses, ICB also operates five battery-electric Urbino 12 Electric buses.
The nine new Urbino 18 Hydrogen buses will join the M32 line, a busy route that connects Westbahnhof through the city center to Ostbahnhof, serving over 13,000 passengers on weekdays. Solaris has ensured that the buses’ technical configuration meets the highest safety standards, with hydrogen stored in gaseous form in composite tanks mounted on the roof.
Funding for the purchase of the fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) comes from the “Procurement of electric buses for local public transport in Hesse” program of the Hessian Ministry of Economics, Energy, Transport and Housing. ICB received a funding notification totaling 2.3 million euros for the nine H2 articulated buses, adding to the funding already received for the initial 13 H2 buses and the depot’s hydrogen filling station.
