Solaris brings Urbino 40 electric to North America
The battery-electric bus made its debut in Chicago as Solaris prepares to enter the North American market. The company says a longer Urbino 60 will follow.
Solaris has unveiled the battery-electric Urbino 40 electric in Chicago, marking its first product launch for the North American market. The company says the vehicle is designed for North American requirements and will be followed by a longer Urbino 60. The launch places a new bus model alongside Solaris’ stated plan to use CAF Group experience in the USA as it enters the market.
The unveiling took place at APTA TRANSform EXPO in Chicago. Solaris describes the bus as a model built on a platform developed specifically for the North American market. Its name reflects a length of just over 40 feet, or about 12.4 metres, according to the source report. The company has not identified where it expects to manufacture the buses.
Entry plans draw on CAF Group
Solaris has been part of CAF Group since 2018, and the companies have pursued synergies between their bus and rail businesses. The source report says the North American expansion is a strategic objective associated with Javier Iriarte, who became CEO in 2023. Iriarte had identified 2026 as the intended entry year. That timing is an earlier stated target, rather than confirmation that market entry has already occurred.
The source report says Solaris has received orders from initial North American bus operators since the start of last year. It does not identify those operators, disclose order volumes, or provide delivery schedules. Solaris says it intends to rely on CAF’s established sales and production structure in the USA. The company has cited CAF’s experience supplying rail solutions to customers across the country, but the materials do not specify how that structure will support bus sales.
Company sets out scale and model range
Solaris says it has delivered 30,000 vehicles across 34 countries. Its European range includes urban and intercity buses, and the company has increasingly focused on zero-emission vehicles. Those include battery-electric buses, hydrogen fuel cell buses and trolleybuses, according to the source report. The new North American model extends that stated experience into a market where Solaris says it plans to serve transit agencies.
The Urbino 40 electric has two axles, while the planned Urbino 60 has three. Solaris’ published specifications give the models lengths of 12.44 metres and 18.59 metres, respectively. The source report says their names derive from approximate lengths stated in feet, and links them to European Urbino 12 electric and Urbino 18 electric equivalents. It also reports battery capacities of 528 and 704 kWh for the new models, respectively.
Solaris has presented the products and outlined its intended market approach, while key implementation details remain undisclosed. The company promises local manufacturing and dedicated customer support, but has not named a manufacturing location. The available material does not establish when the Urbino 60 will be launched beyond saying it is expected to follow soon. The next information to watch is Solaris’ production plan, customer announcements and confirmation of the rollout schedule.