When first presented, the Solaris Urbino was the successor to the Neoplan low-floor buses that had been built under license in the Solaris factory at Bolechowo since 1996. The phenomenal success of these buses had opened up the path for the widespread introduction of low-floor technology in Polish cities. But at the same time, the delicate German design had proved to come with a number of weaknesses when subjected to the hard daily reality on central European roads. Road surfaces were not always in perfect condition and as a result, drivers and passengers alike tended to feel a bit shaken – while the large amounts of de-icing salt applied in winter caused excessive corrosion.

Based on these experiences, the Solaris Urbino was from the start designed to be particularly robust. Its frame uses nothing but stainless steel and together with aluminium, the same material is used for side panelling. Any stress caused by the road quality is countered by the robust design of the underlying frame – the rounded corners of the roof line used to show this particular strength to the world until a new visual look came to give the Urbino its current character.

Solaris Urbino 15 – year of construction 2005

The first Solaris Urbino was built to the standard length of twelve metres, but it was always understood to be an integral part of a much larger product range. The Urbino made Europe’s streets its own with midibuses as much as 15-metre rigids and articulated buses. From the very beginning, the Urbino has been a modular vehicle concept that adapts itself to the requirements of its operation. And it has been just as adaptable when it comes to alternative power sources. As early as 2001, the first Solaris trolleybuses took to the streets – despite being called Trollino, their mechanical side is closely related to the Urbino –, followed shortly afterwards by CNG buses and in 2006 by Europe’s first city bus using volume-production hybrid technology.