Solaris Delivers 19 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses to German Transit Operator SWK Mobil Krefeld

Solaris Bus & Coach has delivered an order of 19 hydrogen fuel cell buses to SWK Mobil Krefeld, a transit operator serving approximately 100,000 daily passengers across the Niederrhein region in Germany. The order comprises nine 12-metre Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen buses and ten 18-metre Urbino 18 hydrogen articulated buses, adding to ten fuel-cell buses the operator acquired in the previous year.

The vehicles are designed to serve longer regional routes with steep terrain and extended distances, where hydrogen's fast refueling time and extended range provide advantages over battery-electric alternatives. The Urbino 12 features a 160 kW fuel cell, while the Urbino 18 is equipped with a 240 kW fuel cell stack.

Solaris has now delivered over 800 fuel-cell buses across Europe, with approximately half operating in Germany's top 18 cities. The company's Urbino 18 hydrogen model received the Bus of the Year award in 2025.

Germany's National Hydrogen Strategy, backed by €500 million in funding this year, is supporting station infrastructure development. Government grants covering up to 80% of refueling station costs are helping operators like SWK Mobil invest in hydrogen infrastructure alongside battery-electric fleets.

Originally reported by Hydrogen Fuel News. Read the full article →