All-new Solaris CNG debuts in Hanover

Piotr Złoty

source: Solaris Bus & Coach

Added on: 14.10.2016

Home page
Vehicles
All-new Solaris CNG debuts in Hanover

The annual IAA commercial vehicle fair in Hanover, Germany, became the stage upon which the latest iteration of the CNG-powered Solaris Urbino debuted. The vehicle presented on the show floor was a 12-metre one.

The new Urbino benefits from a lighweight construction, based on a new spaceframe providing spacious and modern-looking interior. Motivation for the bus comes from advanced, sustainable powertrains, offering good balance between performance and economy. The CNG-powered Solaris features a Euro-6-compliant Cummins ISL G engine churning out 320 PS. The example on displayed at the IAA transfered power to the wheels via a Diwa6 automatic transmission by Voith.

As in every low-floor city bus running on compressed natural gas, fuel storage vessels are mounted on the roof to save interior space. The tanks are made of weight-saving, corrosion-resistant composite materials and fitted longitudinally (parallel to the bus' symmetry centre), unlike in the previous Urbino CNG (transversely), which is meant to reduce the number of tank valves required. Compared to the outgoing generation of Urbino CNG, the new tank assemblies can be up to 80 kg lighter.

The bus presented in Hanover featured tanks with combined gross capacity of 1575 l, but two other options – 1875 and 1260 l – are also available. This means each operator interested in purchasing the Urbino CNG and adding it to their fleet can adjust tank capacity (and thus range) to their needs and budget. The CNG refueling valve is located in the same spot where diesel oil filler is in conventionally fueled versions. Thanks to this the interior (including the driver's cabin) is exactly the same (and equally spacious) regardless of the fuel the bus runs on.

Passenger space is well-lit (thanks to big windows as well as LED lighting), air-conditioned and can be equipped with USB charge ports for portable devices (telephones, tablets, mp3 players, etc.). The 12-metre variant offers 33 seats. An 18-metre version of the Urbino CNG is in the works. We'll inform you when first vehicles enter service.