Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid is a family of
low-floor articulated
An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent coupling in its construction. This coupling works as a large pivot joint, allowing it to bend and turn more sharply. There are many kinds, from heavy equipment to buse ...
hybrid bus
A hybrid electric bus is a bus that combines a conventional internal combustion engine ground propulsion, propulsion system with an electric power, electric propulsion system. These types of buses normally use a diesel–electric powertrain and ...
es from the
Solaris Urbino series for city communication services. The production began in 2006 by
Solaris Bus & Coach
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 Construcciones ...
in
Bolechowo near
Poznań
Poznań ( ) is a city on the Warta, River Warta in west Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business center and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John's ...
in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
. The second generation of buses were produced from 2008 onwards.
History
The first generation of Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid was built between 2006 and 2008. From the second half of 2008, the models are built in the second generation. They have been produced by the use of similarities with the
Solaris Urbino 18.
The characteristic of the Urbino 18 is a green
dachshund
The dachshund ( or ; German: 'badger dog'), also known as the wiener dog or sausage dog, badger dog, doxen and doxie, is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed. The dog may be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired, with varie ...
. Various hybrid versions include specific symbols. The hybrid models have a dachshund which is in between two hearts which symbolise the two types of power.
During the production of the Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid model, four types of hybrid power systems have been implemented. The different versions can be distinguished by the difference in the interior, like that of the
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
transportation system
BRT
BRT may refer to:
Businesses and organizations
* Bayrak Radio Television, a Turkish Cypriot broadcaster
* Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep (now ''VRT''), a Flemish broadcaster
* Business Research and Training Center (BR&T), Ho Chi Minh Cit ...
type - BHNS, which differentiates it from the
Solaris Urbino series bus family.
From the autumn of 2010, 18 buses have been produced with the Allison I and Allison II systems.
Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid Allison

In the Autumn of 2006 on the trade fairs in
Hannover
Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
the world premier occurred of the Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid with
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
power. The model was made with the cooperation with Allison Transmission and
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, electric vehicle components, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipmen ...
, which already had been engaged in previous hybrid bus models in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
. The main part of the model is the Cummins ISLe4 engine with 8.9 litre displacement which generates 248 kW (340 HP) of power. The second main part of this model is the EP50 system of Allison Transmission with the Allison Ev50 engine. The concept is created by the use of one
diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
and two
electric engines with each having 75 kW of power output, which links with the Ev DRIVE module. The system also uses the produced energy when braking, which is accumulated in a
nickel-metal hydride batteries located on the roof in the front of the vehicle. The prototype appeared in mid-2006 and went into production in 2007. The location of the electric and diesel engines is in the front part of the bus between the two doors.
The first Solaris Urbino Hybrid 18 was sold in 2006 to
Dresden
Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
. In 2007 3 buses were sold to
Leipzig
Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...
and
Bochum
Bochum (, ; ; ; ) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 372,348 (April 2023), it is the sixth-largest city (after Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg) in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous German federa ...
(delivered in January 2008) in
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and
Lenzburg
Lenzburg is a town in the central region of the Switzerland, Swiss canton of Aargau and is the capital of the Lenzburg District. The town, founded in the Middle Ages, lies in the Seetal, Seetal valley, about 3 kilometres south of the Aare river. L ...
in the
Swiss
Swiss most commonly refers to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Swiss may also refer to: Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
* Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
* Swiss Café, an old café located ...
canton of
Aargau
Aargau ( ; ), more formally the Canton of Aargau (; ; ; ), is one of the Canton of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven districts and its capital is Aarau.
Aargau is one of the most nort ...
. In 2008 the modernised model came to
Bern
Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...
,
Glonn
Glonn is a market town in the Ebersberg district in Upper Bavaria, Germany, about southeast of Munich.
Geography
The market town of Glonn is a health spa (), and the Glonn Valley is ringed by wooded hills, carved by the former Inn Glacier. ...
,
Hannover
Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
,
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
and
Poznań
Poznań ( ) is a city on the Warta, River Warta in west Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business center and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John's ...
. In 2009 a test vehicle of the Solaris company was given to PKM
Sosnowiec
Sosnowiec is an industrial city county in the Dąbrowa Basin of southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship, which is also part of the Metropolis GZM municipal association.—— Located in the eastern part of the Upper Silesian Industrial Re ...
from 2008.

In second half of 2008 the Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid model went through several levels of modernisation and now it is considered to be at the second generation by the producer. Most of the changes are that of the power system of the electric
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
engine, making a smaller and lighter engine, the Cummins ISBe5 250B with a volume of 6.7 litre and the power of 178 kW. The changes meant even lower fuel consumption - the older engine has reduced fuel usage by 15% compared to purely diesel propulsion while the new engine saves 23-24%. Thanks to further optimisation the Solaris is planning to reduce fuel consumption by 30%. Due to a lighter engine, the other power systems, like the batteries and Dual Power Inverter Module which are on the roof, work at an increased rate and produce more power. Due to this the model has also undergone a makeover of the general body, such as the aerodynamics, meaning only an air conditioning module can be fitted on the front of the bus. The estimated time for future modernisation, when new modules will be able to be added, is said to be about in 6–7 years, with an average usage of 60000 km per year.
The
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
power system of the second generation without includes besides the diesel engine the following elements: Ev, batteries, DPIM, and a control module. The Ev system looks like an ordinary transmission where the torque summation of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor is performed. It consists of two electric motors, two synchronous clutches and three planetary gears. Rechargeable
nickel-metal hydride batteries weighing 410 kg store energy recovered during the braking process. By this they do not require additional charging from external power sources. The service life of the battery set is about 6 years depending on the characteristics of the bus. Dual inverter module DPIM (Dual Power Inverter Module) consists of two modules of AC/DC - DC/AC weighing 75 kg in total. It is cooled with oil. The control unit consists of 2 control modules of the Allison 1000/2000 series. The first of these controls manage the operation of the hybrid engine, while the second unit is responsible for cooperation of the other vehicle systems.
All axles used come from ZF. Electrical system are based on CAN-Bus.
Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid MetroStyle

In 2010, a prototype model of the Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid MetroStyle with a higher service standard adapted to support rapid and dedicated bus network BHNS (
French Bus Haut à Niveau de Service, High Level Service Bus) of the Type RTD in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. However the model was only presented in February 2011, when the company began its annual Transdev tests in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. The bus model Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid MetroStyle in 2011, was also tested in
Grudziądz
Grudziądz (, ) is a city in northern Poland, with 92,552 inhabitants (2021). Located on the Vistula River, it lies within the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and is the fourth-largest city in its province.
Grudziądz is one of the oldest citie ...
in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
.
The market premiere took place in mid-October 2011, during the exhibition RNTP in
Strasbourg
Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...
in
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
(October 12) and the Trade Fair Busworld Kortrijk 2011 in
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
(October 21). The bus model has a completely new design of the front and rear panels, referring to the Solaris tram Tramino styling. It results from the wishes of the consumer to visually resemble a bus tram. The drive system uses a hybrid system of the Allison II Generation.
The bus has the 1-2-2-2 door configuration. The end of the bus has been designed to the style of the tram Tramino. The bus is 18 metres long. The front of the bus, including the roof has a more elegant and bow style making the bus look more streamline. There are covers over the wheels. The bus was fitted with Hübner lighting system which can be turned on at night to give orange lights under the bus.
Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid Vossloh Kiepe

In the autumn of 2010 debuted the new
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
company Vossloh Kiepe hybrid system model. It can be distinguished by additional overhead panels inside. In the engine compartment next to the
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, electric vehicle components, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipmen ...
engine is an electric traction system, which allows itself to be turned off by the use of the hybrid engine.
The following systems were eliminated to work with the diesel powered engine: air compressor, radiator coolers, additional pump and air conditioning battery. There is an optional electric passenger and driver air conditioning system.
In the doors, produced by the Bode company, there had been installed new electric engines in the vals, and not over the doorway. Therefore, the whole mechanism is lighter, easier to build and upkeep and the system takes up less space.
There has been fitted a two screen information panel which shows a visualisation of the state of the hybrid power system.
The vehicle has a fitted router in the
chassis
A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of a manufactured object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...
, which allows connection to the system of the Vossloh Kiepe company, in the need to read the state of the hybrid system.
Solaris Urbino 18 DIWAhybrid (Voith)

At the end of 2010 the new model Solaris Urbino DIWAhybrid was fitted with a
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
power system from Voith Turbo. In the second half of 2011 the first bus with this system was delivered to the Bogestra passenger transportation company in
Bochum
Bochum (, ; ; ; ) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 372,348 (April 2023), it is the sixth-largest city (after Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg) in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous German federa ...
. The first deliver will include 10 models of the bus. It is presumed that 50 buses will have the system.
The vehicle is powered by a
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, electric vehicle components, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipmen ...
ISB engine with a capacity of 6.7 dm
3 and maximum power of 250 hp and meets the EEV emissions standard. Together with an electric motor engine with a maximum power of 150 kW.
In the drive line thanks to recuperation during braking the
kinetic energy
In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the form of energy that it possesses due to its motion.
In classical mechanics, the kinetic energy of a non-rotating object of mass ''m'' traveling at a speed ''v'' is \fracmv^2.Resnick, Rober ...
is converted into
electrical energy
Electrical energy is the energy transferred as electric charges move between points with different electric potential, that is, as they move across a voltage, potential difference. As electric potential is lost or gained, work is done changing the ...
, accumulated in supercapacitors placed on the roof.
Supercapacitor
alt=Supercapacitor, upright=1.5, Schematic illustration of a supercapacitor
upright=1.5, A diagram that shows a hierarchical classification of supercapacitors and capacitors of related types
A supercapacitor (SC), also called an ultracapacitor, ...
s are composed of five 125-volt modules that can store energy of 0.5 kWh. Their total weight is 410 kg.
Despite being heavier by 600 kg, compared to the standard Solaris Urbino 18, Urbino 18 DIWAhybrid model can take 161 passengers, with 51 seated.
Users of the Solaris Urbino 18 Hybrid
References
{{Reflist
18 Hybrid
Low-floor buses
Hybrid electric buses
Articulated buses
Vehicles introduced in 2006