Solaris Bus & Coach sp z o.o. is a Polish manufacturer of public transport vehicles (buses, trolleybuses and trams), with its headquarters in Bolechowo-Osiedle near Poznań. It is a subsidiary of Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF with a market share for electric buses in Europe of about 18%.
The firm arose from the enterprise Neoplan Polska Sp. z o.o., established in 1994. A production facility was launched in Bolechowo-Osiedle near Poznań in 1996. The first low-floor bus produced in Bolechowo rolled off the assembly line on 22 March 1996 and it is this very date that is understood as the beginning of the company's history. 1999 saw the premiere of the first city bus of the Solaris brand – the Solaris Urbino 12. In 2001 the company was rebranded into Solaris Bus & Coach Sp. z o.o., only to be converted from a limited liability company into a joint-stock company. The company is not publicly listed.
Solaris city buses are available in diverse drive configurations as well as bodywork sizes and types. In 2006, Solaris became the first manufacturer to market, in Europe, the first serially produced hybrid drive bus Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid. The portfolio of the bus maker covers conventionally fuelled vehicles (diesel) as well as those with an alternative drive (electric, hybrid and CNG buses or trolleybuses). The Solaris Urbino 12 electric was the first Polish, and the first electric bus at that, to win an international title for the year Bus and Coach of the Year 2017. In that year, Solaris had reached a turnover of Euro 444 million. In July 2018, it was announced that Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) had acquired Solaris.
History
Neoplan Polska
In 1994, engineer Krzysztof Olszewski founded the company Neoplan Polska Sp. z o.o., a branch office for the Polish market of German bus brand Neoplan. In 1995, this enterprise won a tender for the delivery of 72 low-floor city buses for Poznań. The tender was made conditional upon locating the bus manufacturing factory in the vicinity of Poznań. As a result, the company launched an assembly plant for buses in Bolechowo-Osiedle. The first bus produced by Neoplan Polska came fresh off the production line on 22 March 1996. Having carried out the order for Poznań, the firm went on to reach the position of Polish market leader in the segment of low-floor city buses. Initially, the Bolechowo plant manufactured licence-based buses of the Neoplan family:
- Neoplan N4009
- Neoplan N4016
- Neoplan N4020
- Neoplan N4021
The buses stood out from other ones thanks to their reliability and the quality of execution, but above all thanks to their innovative design and, which was a novelty back then, its accessibility for elderly and disabled people thanks to the low floor. An element distinguishing the Neoplan buses produced in Poland from those made abroad was the green dachshund logo pasted onto the left-hand corner of the front face. It was supposed to symbolise the low-floor feature of the bus and the simplicity of use. The colour of the dachshund was a reference to the company's environmental commitment in the production of public transport vehicles. The green dachshund has remained the symbol of the company to this day. This was following an announcement on 3 July 2018. Additionally, CAF has entered into an agreement with the Polish Development Fund for the acquisition by the latter of a minority stake in Solaris (35%) in the same terms and conditions agreed in by CAF in the acquisition of Solaris. On 1 January 2023, Javier Iriarte took over as CEO of Solaris.
Planned North American market entry
In August and September 2023, Solaris tested its Trollino trolleybus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in the first operation of a Solaris bus in North America. The company has announced its intentions to enter the U.S. and Canadian markets in the following years, offering only trolley, battery-electric, and hydrogen fuel cell buses.
The company's first U.S. contract, with King County Metro in Seattle, was signed in December 2024. It comprises two units and two articulated buses, with options for 12 more vehicles. On 5 March 2025, Solaris announced that they landed a contract for 107 electric trolleybuses in Vancouver, Canada, for TransLink.
Models
City and intercity buses
The first buses of the Solaris Urbino family were designed by a group of Polish engineers in collaboration with Berlin-based designer office IFS Designatelier under the leadership of Krzysztof Olszewski. In May 1999, at the Poznań International Fair Motor Show, the company unveiled its low-floor city bus MAXI class Solaris Urbino 12. Two other models of the MEGA class premièred that same year – the Solaris Urbino 15 and the Solaris Urbino 18. 2000 saw the market launch of the smallest member of the bus family – Solaris Urbino 9. A bodyframe made completely of stainless steel and the asymmetric front windscreen are turning into typical features of all buses of the Urbino family. The new series of city buses was characterised by the modern design and innovative technical solutions (e.g. the asymmetric line of the front windscreen improves the driver's field of vision). The first generation buses were made chiefly for the Polish market. In March 2000 the company sold the first vehicle to a non-Polish company; the Solaris Urbino 15 went to DPO from the Czech city of Ostrava. The first-generation Solaris Urbino buses have also made it to Slovakia, Latvia, and Germany.
In 2019, a hydrogen-powered Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen bus premiered at the UITP exhibition in Stockholm. In the same year, the first order for buses of this type was secured for Bolzano, Italy. In 2020, the manufacturer offer included the Solaris Urbino 15 LE, the first model of an electrobus designed for suburban and intercity transport, and the Solaris Urbino 12 mild-hybrid. In 2021, the Urbino 8.9 LE electric model was replaced by the new fourth-generation Urbino 9 LE electric. In the same year, the Solaris Urbino 24 electric MetroStyle 24-meter model was announced, based on a new platform of 24-meter electric, hybrid or as a trolleybus. In September 2022, Solaris unveiled its Urbino 18 hydrogen bus – the company's second hydrogen bus.<gallery class="center">
File:Solaris Urbino 12 in Kielce (327).jpg|Solaris Urbino 12 of I generation
File:Solaris Urbino15 8624 CH Marki.JPG|Solaris Urbino 15 of II generation
File:Urbino 18 Hybrid Ettenhuber.jpg|Solaris Urbino 18 hybrid of III generation
File:BVG-204-Solaris-Urbino-12-electric-Torgauer-Str-1.jpg|Solaris Urbino 12 III generation
File:Solaris urbino 18 superbus.jpg|Solaris Urbino 18 of IV generation
File:Solaris InterUrbino 12 - Link-BUS (3).jpg|Solaris InterUrbino 12 I generation
File:Sol060.jpg|Solaris InterUrbino 12,8 of II generation
File:Solaris Cotral 6695.jpg|Solaris InterUrbino 12 of II generation
</gallery>
Coaches
In the first years of operation, Neoplan Polska also handled the assembly of the coaches Neoplan Transliner and Neoplan Skyliner. Serial production of the tourist coach of the company's own design Solaris Vacanza 12 began one year after the official unveiling in August 2001. The design of these coaches was drafted by the Berlin-based enterprise IFS Designatelier. A characteristic feature of these vehicles is the wedge-shaped bodywork line. Engines made by DAF were used for the driveline. In 2004, the company launched production of the longer model Solaris Vacanza 13. In 2003 the Solaris Vacanza was ranked second (ex aequo with the Volvo 9700) in the contest Coach of the Year 2004, right behind such brands as MAN Lion's Star and Scania Irizar PB, which took the first place ex aequo. Due to limited sales, Solaris decided to eliminate them from its offerings in 2011.
In 2002 Solaris assembled its first special-purpose vehicle - a mobile blood donation station based on the Vacanza coach. Solaris bloodmobiles have been used in many Polish cities, but have also been sold to Riga. In 2018, Solaris presented the first fully electric special vehicle for blood donation, based on the Urbino 8.9 LE model.
The second tender for Solaris concerned an order for 5 bi-articulated fully low-floor trams adapted to a 1000 mm track gauge, placed by Jenaer Nahverkehr – a public transport operator from the German city of Jena. The tram cars have been fitted with two driver cabins, three bogies, including four axles integrated with a 90 kW motor, and an air conditioning system for the passenger compartment. The trams were delivered in 2013. They were the first ones produced in Poland and sold to a customer in Germany. As part of the third tender in 2014, Solaris provided 18 tri-articulated trams riding on a 1100 mm track gauge to Braunschweig in Germany. These were the longest trams made by Solaris.
In August 2012 Solaris won a tender for the supply of 15 double-ended trams for the newly built tram network in Olsztyn. This vehicle has features such as traction batteries allowing for a short-distance ride without a connection to the traction line. These are also the least noise-emitting trams in Poland. The 15 vehicles were supplied in 2015.
At the beginning of February 2015 Solaris won a commission for the supply of 41 trams to the Leipzig-based public transport operator Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe GmbH in Germany. The new trams for the Saxon buyer have been given a completely new design, in compliance with the customer's wishes. However, references to the former Tramino construction have been maintained. The longest vehicle of the family (37 630 mm) was named Tramino XL. The official première of the Tramino for Leipzig took place in February 2017, marking also the beginning of the delivery.
On 20 September 2016, at the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin, the company announced that it had started cooperation with Stadler Rail – a Swiss rolling stock producer. The consortium won a tender for the delivery of 50 trams for public transport operator MPK S.A. from Kraków.
On 9 December 2016, Solaris announced the establishment of the joint venture Solaris Tram. The company started operation on 1 January 2017, with Zbigniew Palenica assuming the post of CEO, whereas the shares are divided between Solaris and Stadler Rail at a 40:60. In July 2017 Solaris Tram secured its first order, for the supply, to Braunschweig, of seven trams featuring a similar design as the vehicles from the previous contract.<gallery class="center">
File:Gdansk tramwaj 1007.jpg|Bombardier NGT6/2 in Gdańsk
File:Solaris Tramino.JPG|Prototype of Solaris Tramino
File:Solaris Tramino 538.jpg|Solaris Tramino Poznań
File:Solaris Tramino Jena 2014.jpg|Solaris Tramino Jena
File:Leipzig NGT10 Linie4 06.jpg|Solaris Tramino XL in Leipzig
File:SOLARIS BUS & COACH Tramino Braunschweig (15359190390).jpg|Solaris Tramino Braunschweig
</gallery>
Company management and staff
Company management
thumb|Krzysztof Olszewski and Solange Olszewska
{| class="wikitable"
!From
!Until
!President and CEO
!Chair of the Supervisory Board
|-
|1994
|2008
|Krzysztof Olszewski
|–
|-
|2008
|2014
| rowspan="2" |Solange Olszewska
|Krzysztof Olszewski
|-
|2014
|2015
|Ryszard Petru
|-
|2015
|2016
|Andreas Strecker
| rowspan="2" |Janusz Reiter
|-
|2016
|2018
|Solange Olszewska
|-
|2018
|2022
|Javier Calleja
| Josu Imaz
|-
|2023
|
|Javier Iriarte
|Javier Martínez Ojinaga
|}
Source:.
Number of employees
In the first year of operation there were 36 employees working in the production hall. In the following years, as new production halls were launched and production expanded, the staff number kept growing. In 2005 Solaris reported a headcount of 1000. As of 2022 Solaris employs 2700 people in Poland and in foreign agencies.
Commercial symbols
Logo
thumb|Solaris logo (2005-2012)
Initially, Solaris did not have its own logo – it relied on the symbol of holding company Neoplan. The first logotype of Solaris was presented in 2001, when Solaris Bus & Coach Sp. z o.o. was officially established. It featured a stylised inscription reading Solaris, enclosed in an ellipse. Moreover, for buses the company used a complex logo on a black background, where the letter O was replaced by a planet, whereas the letter A was set against a star in the backdrop. In 2005 a new graphic system for Solaris was shown. The company introduced the characteristic logotype resembling the letter S. In 2012 the company launched an overhauled version of the symbol making it bolder and changing the interior filling of the letter S. What is more, the stylised name Solaris, in line with the design from 2001, is placed underneath the graphic symbol.
Advertising slogan
In 2005 Solaris introduced its first advertising slogan: “Power of Enthusiasm”. It was in use until 2017, when the company replaced it with the slogan “Wspólny kierunek” (Polish for Common direction).
Green dachshund
thumb|Green dachshund on vehicles with diesel and natural gas engines
The green dachshund (zielony jamnik) is the mascot of the company Solaris. It used to be attached to Neoplan Polska buses, distinguishing them from vehicles produced in other Neoplan factories. It was created by the company's vice-president of the day, Solange Olszewska. The dachshund resembles a low-floor bus in shape, but it also symbolises the loyalty towards customers and low operating costs. The green colour is a symbol of concern for the natural environment. Its image is glued to the outside of the bus, usually on the front face, on the left side of the vehicle (when looking in the travel direction). A plush toy version of the symbol is often handed out during official release of buses to customers. In the case of the first and second generation and for some third-generation vehicles, the logo included the word “low-floor” written in the language of the country in question (e.g. “Niederflur” for Germany, “Нископодов” for Bulgaria or “niskopodłogowy” for Poland). In the case of low-entry buses, the inscription was changed accordingly to “low-entry”. Standard buses of the Urbino family (with diesel or natural gas engines) feature a dachshund logo in the basic form, whereas other drive or construction types have their distinguishing feature represented in the image of the dachshund, as shown in the table below:
{| class="wikitable"
!Vehicle model and version
!Operating differences reflected in the vehicle symbol
|-
!Solaris Urbino electric
|The graphic symbol includes a cable and plug-in replacing the tail, which symbolises the electric drive.
|-
!Urbino hybrid
|The graphic symbol contains two hearts which represent the double drive system of the vehicle.
|-
!Urbino Low Entry
|The dachshund stands with its front paw raised. In the older version the dachshund's front paws are seen lying flat, whereas the hind leg was seen standing, which results in the belly rising in the rear, just like the floor is raised in the rear of the vehicle.
|-
!Urbino in Cracow
|The dachshund wears a peaked cap, typical for the region and known in Polish as a krakuska, on its head. It appears only on some of the buses delivered to the city.
|-
!Trollino
|The dachshund has a leash resembling trolley poles tied to its collar.
|-
!Tramino
|The graphic symbol includes a leash and yellow inline skates.
|-
!InterUrbino
|The graphic symbol carries a backpack.
|}
The green dachshund is also used as the logo of the company's charitable foundation Fundacja Zielony Jamnik, established in 2012.
Products
<ul style="margin-left:0px;">
<li style="display: inline-table; vertical-align:top;">
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Current models
!Type
!Start of production
|-
! colspan="2" |City buses
|-
|Solaris Urbino 9 LE electric
|2011
|-
|Solaris Urbino 10,5
|2017
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12
|1999
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12 CNG
|2005
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12 hybrid
|2010
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12 mild-hybrid
|2020
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12 electric
|2013
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen
|2019
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18
|1999
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18 CNG
|2006
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18 hybrid
|2006
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18 mild-hybrid
|2020
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18 electric
|2014
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18 hydrogen
|2022
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18,75 electric
|2014
|-
|Solaris Urbino 24 electric MetroStyle
|2022
|-
! colspan="2" |Local and intercity buses
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12 LE
|2004
|-
|Solaris Urbino 15 LE electric
|2020
|-
|Solaris InterUrbino 12
|2009
|-
|Solaris InterUrbino 12,8
|2012
|-
! colspan="2" |Trolleybuses
|-
|Solaris Trollino 12
|2001
|-
|Solaris Trollino 18
|2002
|-
|Solaris Trollino 24
|2019
|-
|Škoda 26Tr Solaris
|2009
|-
|Škoda 28Tr Solaris
|2009
|}
</li>
<li style="display: inline-table; vertical-align:top;">
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Historical models
!Type
!Start of production
!End of production
|-
! colspan="3" |City buses
|-
|Solaris Alpino 8,6
|2007
|2018
|-
|Solaris Urbino 8,9 LE electric
|2011
|2021
|-
|Solaris Urbino 9
|2000
|2002
|-
|Solaris Urbino 10
|2002
|2018
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12,9
|2013
|2018
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12,9 hybrid
|2013
|2018
|-
|Solaris Urbino 15
|1999
|2018
|-
|Solaris Urbino 15 CNG
|2004
|2018
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18,75
|2014
|2018
|-
! colspan="3" |Local and intercity buses
|-
|Solaris Valletta
|2002
|2007
|-
|Solaris Urbino 8,9 LE
|2008
|2021
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12 LE CNG
|2007
|2018
|-
|Solaris Urbino 15 LE
|2008
|2018
|-
|Solaris Urbino 15 LE CNG
|2008
|2018
|-
! colspan="3" |Coaches
|-
|Solaris Vacanza 12
|2002
|2014
|-
|Solaris Vacanza 13
|2003
|2014
|-
! colspan="3" |Trolleybuses
|-
|Solaris Trollino 15
|2003
|2018
|-
|Škoda 27Tr Solaris
|2009
|2018
|-
! colspan="3" |Trams
|-
|Bombardier NGT6/2
|2007
|2008
|-
|Solaris Tramino
|2009
|2018
|}
</li>
</ul>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Special vehicles and prototypes
!Type
!Years of production
|-
! colspan="2" |Special vehicles
|-
|Blood donation vehicles
|since 2002
|-
|Airport buses
|since 2004
|-
|Cinebus
|2016
|-
! colspan="2" |Prototypes
|-
|Solaris Urbino 18 LE CNG
|2011
|-
|Solaris Urbino 10,9 LE
|2013, 2015
|-
|Solaris Concept Bus
|2015
|-
|Solaris Urbino 12 LE lite hybrid
|2018
|}
Production and sales
thumb|Solaris factory in Środa Wielkopolska
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Year
! colspan="3" |Buses, coaches and trolleybuses
! colspan="2" |Trams
|-
!Sales
!Export
!Export (%)
!Solaris Tramino
!Bombardier NGT6/2
|-
!1996
|56
|–
|–
|
|
|-
!1997
|163
|–
|–
|
|
|-
!1998
|160
|–
|–
|
|
|-
!1999
|106
|–
|–
|
|
|-
!2000
|178
|7
|3%
|
|
|-
!2001
|249
|54
|21%
|
|
|-
!2002
|230
|124
|54%
|
|
|-
!2003
|264
|169
|64%
|
|
|-
!2004
|478
|366
|77%
|
|
|-
!2005
|598
|487
|81%
|
|
|-
!2006
|567
|367
|65%
|
|
|-
!2007
|681
|400
|59%
|
|11
|-
!2008
|1039
|557
|54%
|
|16
|-
!2009
|1115
|852
|76%
|1
|
|-
!2010
|1120
|713
|64%
|
|
|-
!2011
|1207
|687
|57%
|23
|
|-
!2012
|1006
|743
|74%
|22
|
|-
!2013
|1302
|1010
|77%
|5
|
|-
!2014
|1380
|1100
|80%
|3
|
|-
!2015
|1279
|946
|74%
|15
|
|-
!2016
|1300
|829
|64%
|13
|
|-
!2017
|1397
|952
|68%
|7
|
|-
!2018
|1226
|824
|67%
|
|
|-
!2019
|1487
|1053
|71%
|
|
|-
!2020
|1560
|1195
|77%
|
|
|-
!2021
|1492
|1099
|74%
|
|
|-
!2022
|1492
|1245
|83%
|
|
|-
!Σ
!23,132
!15,779
!68%
!89
!27
|}
Solaris buses have found buyers in over 700 cities in 34 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia (as of 2022). The furthest Solaris buses have ventured from Bolechowo so far is the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. Solaris has been the sales leader in Poland of new city buses with a DMC of more than 8t since 2003, without interruption. The number of buses, trolleybuses and trams sold by Solaris was greatest for Poland (5528), Germany (2960), the Czech Republic (860), Italy (829), Sweden (616), France (523) and Norway (478).
Production facilities
The production of Solaris vehicles is handled in four production facilities situated in the vicinity of Poznań and in the city itself. The headquarters is located in Bolechowo-Osiedle. That is also where the final stage of production takes place. Furthermore, Solaris operates two plants in Środa Wielkopolska and one in Poznań. According to company plans, within the framework of the joint-venture of Solaris and Stadler Rail, as of 2019 the final assembly of Solaris Tramino trams is to be executed in the Stadler Polska plants located in Siedlce. In 2017 Solaris launched yet another plant – the Solaris Logistics Center – located in Jasin near Poznań. The new distribution centre and spare part warehouse was to streamline the order implementation process and raising the level of after-sales customer care.
Bolechowo-Osiedle
thumb|Bolechowo-Osiedle factory
The factory in Bolechowo-Osiedle is the biggest production facility of Solaris. That is where the final stage of bus production takes place. Opened in 1996, it is Solaris' oldest factory, created for the execution of an order for buses for MPK Poznań. In 2014 the company started expanding the factory, adding additional production and office space. The following extension of that facility began in 2018. Annual output amounts to 1300–1400 vehicles, meaning that every day 5 to 8 new buses roll off the assembly line in Bolechowo. The average production time for one city bus is approximately 20 working days. Offices are located next to the production hall, constituting the headquarters of Solaris Bus & Coach. Since 2016, it is possible to sneak a peek at the interior of the factory and the office building in Bolechowo using Google Street View.
Środa Wielkopolska
The facility in Środa Wielkopolska specialises in the production of steel bodyframes for buses and rolling stock. Solaris bought the factory in 1998, following the bankruptcy of the former owner, TRAMAD. The facility in Środa Wielkopolska employs about 360 people. About 8 bodyframes are completed here every day. In 2018, the company started the concurrent extension of the steel structure plant in Środa Wielkopolska and the plant in Bolechowo.
The second production hall in Środa Wielkopolska was launched in 2009, to serve the needs of orders for Solaris Tramino trams for the public transport operator MPK Poznań. Specialising in tram bodyframes, this particular facility caters only for the production of Tramino trams.
Cotral Lazio
At the beginning of 2016, Solaris won a contract for the delivery of 300 suburban buses for the operator Cotral from the Italian region of Lazio. This contract was worth nearly EUR 110 million. Under this contract, Solaris supplied 12-metre buses of the Solaris InterUrbino category. The buses were provided with, among others, baggage holds, air-conditioning and rear-view reversing cameras. The drive consists of a diesel engine made by DAF.
BVG Berlin
In 2004 Solaris secured an order from Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe for the supply of 260 city buses of the MEGA class (130 + 130 under a contractual option). Following this contract, there are now 260 low-floor Solaris Urbino 18 buses of the third generation driving on the streets of Berlin. They joined 10 older Urbino 18 buses of the previous generation, already in use in the city.
SWRT Wallonia
Société Régionale Wallonne du Transport (regional carrier of the Belgian region of Wallonia) ordered 208 hybrid buses from Solaris in 2017. Under the EUR 105 million commission, the producer supplied Solaris Urbino 12 Hybrid buses of the 4 generation. The deliveries were spread over a period of two years – 97 buses were supplied in 2017 and another 111 were shipped over in 2018.
MZA Warsaw
In March 2019, Solaris won the tender organized by MZA Warsaw, for the delivery of 130 electric buses. The contract was signed on July 22, 2019. The vehicles will take to the streets of Warsaw in 2019 and 2020. The contract is worth PLN 399.5 million (roughly 89.5 million euro) and was the largest electric bus order to date in Europe. Solaris submitted the only tender.
ATM Milan
In July 2019, Solaris won an order for the supply of 250 electric buses with a length of 12m for a carrier from Milan, winning the bid against Mercedes. It was a tender for electric buses worth up to EUR 192 million.
See also
- Autosan
- Electric bus
- Electric vehicle conversion
- Hispano Carrocera