ARST S.p.A., Sardinia’s largest public transport company, has placed an order for 100 low-emission Urbino 12 hybrid buses with Solaris, the European leader in the sale and production of low- and zero-emission buses. This purchase is a continuation of the 2021 framework agreement with Consip, a joint-stock company owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF). The contract allows public transport companies (TPL, Italian: Trasporti Pubblici Locali) to directly order vehicles or issue a call for tender targeting chosen suppliers.
The Urbino 12 hybrid buses, which will arrive in Cagliari, Sardinia in 2024, are equipped with a new generation hybrid drive system consisting of a 250 kW electric traction motor and a 150 kW Euro 6 combustion engine. This cutting-edge technology is expected to reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions into the atmosphere, making it a sustainable choice for public transportation.
To ensure passenger comfort, the vehicles will be fitted with efficient all-vehicle air conditioning, a spacious interior with USB sockets, and monitoring and passenger counting systems located above each door. In addition, drivers will have access to a range of comfort solutions, including an enclosed customised driver’s cabin.
Sardinia already has dozens of Solaris vehicles on its roads, and with the addition of these 100 hybrid buses, Solaris is set to become one of the main suppliers of zero-emission public transport vehicles to Italy. Almost a third of the 1,500 Solaris vehicles already on Italian roads are zero-emission electric buses and trolleybuses, making the market for green mobility one of the key areas of growth for Italian operators.
