At the international Global e-Mobility Forum conference in Warsaw, Solaris was given the Global e-Mobility Leader Award for its contribution to the development of zero-emission transport around the world. The event, assembling representatives of governments, scientists and world industry leaders, acted as a space for debate on the future of e-mobility and sustainable transport.
On 19 November, Warsaw became for the second time the world capital of e-mobility. This event, one of the biggest online events in the world dedicated to e-mobility development, culminated in the e-Mobility Leader Awards Gala 2020, during which prizes for the best contributions to the development of sustainable transport were handed out. This year, Solaris – as one of the most important e-bus producers in Europe – received the Global e-Mobility Leader Award for its role in transforming public urban transport around the world.
“Poland is one of Europe’s leaders when it comes to zero-emission public transport, both in terms of the number of electric buses produced and regarding implementing vehicles of that type by local governments”, said Maciej Mazur, Managing Director of The Polish Alternative Fuels Association (PSPA) and Vice-President of The European Association for Electromobility. “Poland’s fleet of e-buses has been growing very rapidly. From January to September this year, the number of buses registered in Poland with electric drives amounted to 116 units, which marks a rise of 197% compared to the same period in 2019. Solaris has had a decisive influence on this result, while e-buses from Bolechowo have already become a calling card for Polish e-mobility in many countries worldwide”, added Maciej Mazur.
As one of the European leaders in e-mobility, Solaris is also among the top manufacturers when it comes to responding to the changing purchasing needs of public transport operators. This is reflected in the sales structure of the company. The number of sold and ordered electric buses made by Solaris has been growing dynamically for a few years now. Just in 2019, the manufacturer supplied a total of 162 battery-equipped buses to its clients. The way production is organised and aftersales service have also been continually changed. Last year, low- and zero-emission buses accounted for 40% of all vehicles sold by Solaris. With each passing year, the firm has been solidifying its position as an e-mobility leader in public transport in Europe.
2020 has posed a huge challenge for the world economy. The Global e-Mobility Forum was a high-level event attended by speakers from all over the world, including representatives of governments, international organisations, scientists and world industry leaders. The conference addressed issues related not only to the key importance of developing emission-free technology to attain climate neutrality, but also the influence of the pandemic on the need to pivot towards zero-emission transport. Javier Calleja, CEO of Solaris, also took the floor during the debate: “Nowadays, it is not easy to be optimistic, but I am sure that we will emerge stronger from this experience. I am convinced that the recovery from this crisis should be a green recovery and that zero-emission mobility will play a critical role. We can expect a big leap towards clean, safe and zero-emission transport, and it is already underway. At Solaris, we have been observing very positive trends and attaining ever better results both in e-bus sales and deliveries. This gives us all hope for a better future.”
This is in fact the second time that the activity of Solaris has been acknowledged at the international Global e-Mobility Forum conference. In 2019, during the e-Mobility Leader Gala, the manufacturer was awarded the Polish e-Mobility Leader Award for its role in transforming public urban transport in Poland. The Global e-Mobility Leader Award granted this year confirms that Solaris has been continuously developing its portfolio of emission-free buses and effectively contributing to changing the image of public transport, including globally.
