Berlin's main public transport company, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), which operates the city's metro, tram, bus and ferry networks, has placed a new order for Solaris electric articulated buses under the existing framework agreement. Following the recent delivery of the first batch of 50 18-metre Solaris electric buses, the Berlin transport operator has ordered a further 270 similar vehicles. This is one of the largest electric bus procurements in the company’s history, with an order value exceeding €220 million.
This agreement builds on the order previously placed in December 2023, which included the first 50 Solaris articulated buses, many of which are already operating in the German capital. The framework agreement originally entered with BVG envisaged the supply of up to 700 electric buses over 8 years. The buses will be equipped with Solaris High Energy batteries; they can be charged via both a standard current collector or a pantograph.
The operator BVG is actively working towards electrifying its fleets and upgrading its infrastructure. This is a key goal currently being pursued by leading public transport operators across Europe through investments in the most advanced zero-emission solutions available on the market. Awarding this substantial order to Solaris demonstrates BVG's commitment to this objective and its confidence in the CAF Group’s ability to supply these solutions.
To date, Solaris has delivered more than 5,500 zero-emission vehicles, including battery electric buses, hydrogen buses and trolleybuses. Since 2012, the company has delivered more zero-emission buses to European cities than any other manufacturer. By the end of 2024, a total of 3,074 Solaris vehicles were in operation – representing nearly 14% of all zero-emission buses on European roads. In 2024 alone, Solaris delivered 705 units to customers across Europe.
In addition to CAF’s strong presence in the German bus market, it is also noteworthy that it has executed numerous rail projects in the German market in recent years, including supplying trams for the cities of Freiburg, Essen, Bonn and Hannover, as well as the major contract for over 70 battery-powered trains for the operators VRR and NWL in the Rhineland region.
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