Solaris Urbino 15 LE electricImage: SolarisJust a year ago, VR Sverige ordered 81 battery-electric buses from Solaris for use in the greater Stockholm area. These were exclusively 15-metre-long Urbino 15 LE electric models, featuring a low-entry body designed specifically for suburban and regional services. Solaris is still fulfilling this order but has already secured a follow-up contract.This time, the order is more diverse and tailored to various operational profiles. In addition to 22 more Urbino 15 LE electric buses, it includes five 9-metre Urbino 9 LE electric buses, 47 12-metre solo buses (Urbino 12 electric), and 27 18-metre articulated buses (Urbino 18 electric).“We are proud to continue and strengthen our collaboration with VR Sverige,” said Sverre Skaar, CEO of Solaris Sverige AB. “This partnership marks an important milestone for us, as it establishes a significant foothold in the Swedish capital. Expanding our presence in Stockholm not only reflects the trust placed in us by VR Sverige, but also underlines our long-term commitment to delivering high-quality solutions and services in the region.”Anders Frykman, Bus Director at VR Sverige, added: “This order represents a significant step toward sustainable, electrified bus transport. It contributes to emissions reduction, supports VR’s environmental objectives, and ensures the provision of reliable, high-quality services in our bus contracts, while fostering a safe and supportive environment for drivers and maintenance personnel.”91 electric buses for Scania’s home region of SödertäljeHowever, Solaris is not the only manufacturer to receive a major new order from VR Sverige. Scania, the Swedish manufacturer and part of the Volkswagen-owned commercial vehicle group Traton, has also been awarded a contract. This time, the order is not for electric buses in Stockholm but for services in the Södertälje/Nykvarn region, south of Stockholm. VR Sverige will operate these services from June 2027 and has pre-ordered 91 battery-electric buses from Scania. Scania Fencer F1Image: ScaniaThe vehicles in question are the Scania Fencer F1 model, specifically 32 buses with a 4×2 configuration (two-axle) and 59 with a 6×2*4 configuration (three-axle with a steerable tag axle). All 91 battery-electric buses feature a battery capacity of 445 kWh.A Swedish-Polish-Chinese joint productionFor Scania, this order is particularly prestigious: the company is based in Södertälje and can thus contribute directly to the electrification of public transport in its home region. Furthermore, the Scania Fencer F1 is built on Scania’s fully electric bus platform, developed in Sweden, and the battery systems are assembled directly in Södertälje. This is also the largest single order for battery-electric vehicles Scania has received in Sweden to date, including electric trucks.However, the Scania Fencer F1 is not a purely Swedish product but rather a Swedish-Polish-Chinese co-production. While the development, powertrain, and battery systems originate in Sweden, the chassis is manufactured in Poland, and the bodywork and final assembly are carried out by Scania’s partner Higer in China. Scania has collaborated with Higer on coaches since 2004, and in 2021, the Fencer F1 became their first city bus.solarisbus.com, scania.com (Swedish), scania.com (Fencer F1 product page)