Toyota, Siemens, OMV, Solaris

Toyota has unveiled a new generation of its Sora fuel cell city bus in Japan. Developed jointly with Isuzu, the model combines Isuzu’s electric low-floor bus platform with Toyota’s fuel cell system. Despite reducing hydrogen tank capacity by around 20 percent, the new Sora increases its range by approximately 100 kilometers compared with its predecessor, to more than 300 kilometers.

To achieve this, Toyota combines an upgraded fuel cell stack with a larger battery and new hydrogen tanks. According to the manufacturer, the Sora can be fully refueled in around ten minutes, while a new refueling standard is expected to roughly halve that time in the future. The Isuzu platform also provides a completely flat low-floor design, intended in particular to improve access for wheelchair users and passengers with strollers.

Safety features include an Emergency Driver Stop System, which can automatically bring the bus to a stop if it detects a problem with the driver, as well as a system that monitors the area in front of the vehicle for pedestrians and bicycles. An external power supply unit also allows the Sora to serve as a mobile power source during power outages or natural disasters.

Siemens and OMV have commissioned what they say is the world’s first commercial application of the new SICHARGE FLEX system in Kufstein, Austria. The charging park along the Brenner route initially features six DC charging points – four for passenger cars and two for trucks – each providing up to 400 kW of charging power.

Depending on its configuration, the modular Siemens system offers a total output ranging from 480 kW to 1.68 MW and dynamically distributes power among the connected vehicles. A further expansion phase will add four additional truck charging points equipped with the Megawatt Charging System (MCS), offering outputs between 600 and 1,200 kW. An electric truck with a 620-kWh battery, for example, is expected to charge from 20 to 80 percent in around 45 minutes.

The site is located along the major north-south corridor connecting Germany, Austria, and Italy and is specifically designed for long-haul transport. OMV has already ordered additional SICHARGE FLEX systems for Austria, which are expected to become operational in the coming months. Siemens’ cloud-based SIFINITY Control platform is used to monitor and manage the charging infrastructure.

Solaris has unveiled the new Urbino 40 electric, officially marking its entry into the U.S. market. The approximately 40-foot electric city bus was developed specifically for North American transit agencies. Its batteries are mounted entirely on the roof, a configuration designed to improve safety and simplify maintenance.

The bus features an integrated Battery Thermal Management System, an energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, as well as driver assistance systems. It also comes with an enclosed driver’s cab, digital side mirrors, and cornering lights. Solaris has not yet disclosed specific figures for battery capacity, range, power output, or charging performance.

In North America, Solaris plans to offer 40- and 60-foot zero-emission buses. The first battery-electric vehicles are set to be delivered to King County Metro in the greater Seattle area and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. In Canada, Solaris is also supplying trolleybuses to TransLink in Vancouver.