Solaris to utilise BAE Systems’ hybrid electric drive system in its buses
Polish automaker, Solaris Bus & Coach, which has so far delivered over 14,000 vehicles to more than 30 countries, has announced plans to utilise BAE Systems’ hybrid electric drive propulsion system in its vehicles. Currently, the company’s global fleet of electric drive systems numbers around 6,000, and this will be increased using BAE’s hybrid technology which prevents engine-idling at bus stops using its proprietary stop/start technology.

Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. of Poland, a major supplier of city, intercity, and special purpose buses, which has delivered more than 14,000 vehicles across 30 countries, will now offer BAE Systems’ hybrid electric drive propulsion system on its vehicles.

The company’s global fleet of series electric drive propulsion systems exceeds 6,000 today, and is operating in cities such as London, Paris, Boston, Seattle, and Hong Kong. Metropolitan cities such as these use hybrid electric and electric drive technologies to decrease harmful emissions and noise pollution. BAE Systems’ series electric drive system attracts transit operators because of its ability to prevent engine-idling at bus stops using its proprietary stop/start technology. BAE Systems’ Accessory Power System provides all the electric power a bus will need during the stop to keep its accessories running, such as the power steering, air compression, air conditioning, and even heat in colder temperatures.

A bus spends nearly 40% of its operation time picking up passengers, and with BAE Systems’ stop/start feature, the bus engine can be turned off during stops, saving both fuel and emissions. Each year, city buses powered by the company’s electric drive systems carry more than 1 billion passengers, saving 13 million gallons of fuel and preventing the release of more than 150,000 tons of CO 2 .

This agreement with Solaris further strengthens BAE Systems’ presence in the city of Poznan, Poland. For example, BAE Systems’ Applied Intelligence sector has already invested in the city, focused on its set of risk, fraud, and compliance solutions. Since 2013, the company has more than doubled the number of employees in the region and currently employs more than 80 people at its Poznan delivery center. These employees include a combination of engineering staff who build products and a services team that implements and supports those products for clients.