The Italian Venice-based operator Azienda Veneziana della Mobilita (AVM) has ordered 90 Solaris hydrogen buses with 75 of these vehicles being 12-metre long and 15-metre in the articulated version. The contract also provides for a so-called option to increase the order.

Venice is another Italian city that is betting on the development of zero-emission mobility, not only by purchasing battery buses, but also hydrogen buses. The AVM has just ordered 75 Urbino hydrogen 12-metre vehicle and 15 Urbino 18 hydrogen articulated buses from Solaris. According to the contract, the vehicles will be delivered to Venice successively, starting in November 2025. Deliveries will end in the first weeks of 2026.

It is worth recalling that 30 battery-powered Solaris Urbino 12 electric and four hydrogen Urbino 12 hydrogen are already running in Venice and the surrounding area.

Solaris Urbino hydrogen buses are completely emission-free vehicles in which the source of propulsion is hydrogen converted into electricity. One of the advantages of hydrogen vehicles, in addition to the emission-free and very quiet operation of the propulsion system, is the long range on a single fill-up. With approximately 35kg of hydrogen for a 12-metre bus and 50kg for an articulated vehicle respectively, the vehicles can travel a minimum of 350km.

A new solution in the hydrogen buses for AVM will be hydrogen refuelling valves on both sides of the buses above the front wheel arch.

According to the contract, the order of 90 hydrogen buses can be extended to include a so-called option, which could mean an additional 13 twelve-metre and five articulated vehicles.

In Europe, interest in zero-emission solutions based on hydrogen technology is constantly growing. Solaris is the European leader in this segment. Deliveries and concluded contracts have already totalled more than 300 hydrogen buses.

Adrian Andrzejewski