The overall trend for electromobility has become more and more important due to the environmental awareness, energy transfer towards Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and multiple subsidies programs. According to Bloomberg NEF in 2025 the worldwide share of electric buses will reach 47%.
In 2021, Poland was first in European Union in producing and exporting electric buses. Right after was Belgium (with 36% shares) and far, far after Czech Republic (7%), Germany (4%) and the Netherlands (2%). It took Poland only 4 years to grow from 10% to 46% of the European electric buses market. This rapid expansion is caused by the fact that during 2020 and the worldwide pandemic the conventional car sales market was decreasing and at the same time electromobility market was significantly growing, with electric buses sales as well.
According to the Polish Department of Electromobility Development (pol. Polska Izba Rozwoju Elektromobilności) in 2022, 707 electric buses have been riding through the Polish streets. With Warsaw and its 162 electric buses, Cracow (78) and Poznan (59) heading in this race from all of the Polish cities. What is more, this organization predicts that the number of electric buses will reach 1350 till 2024.
There are three Polish electric buses producers that are stepping up to the mark of such a challenge. These producers are: Solaris Urbino Electric in Bolechowo – which is the biggest one, Volvo 7900 Electric in Wrocław and MAN Lion’s City E in Starachowice. Not less important matter are – electric buses charging stations. In Poland, there are currently 520 charging stations with over 70 MW of power located in 50 cities
Next step for electromobility market is an energy source diversification which adds to the mix hydrogen energy. Solaris has already got multiple orders for buses fueled with H2. Unfortunately, for this moment there is no an open-access hydrogen station in Poland, only the private ones. Quite recently Polish oil refiner and petrol retailer PKN Orlen has opened their first mobile hydrogen station in Poland in Cracow. The newly opened mobile station is only dedicated for the Cracow public transport buses and carries 400 kg of H2 which power 11 vehicles.
