Sustainable Bus Awards 2026 Winners
During Busworld Europe 2025, the jury for the Sustainable Bus Awards 2026 honored the Solaris Urbino 10.5 Electric, the IVECO Bus Crossway NF ELEC, and the MAN Lion’s Coach 14 E
The Sustainable Bus Awards 2026 ceremony took place yesterday evening in Brussels, during the Gala Night and Grand Opening Ceremony of Busworld Europe 2025, where also Cummins displayed its products, the leading international event dedicated bus and coach industry.
The international jury, made up of 10 specialized journalists from across Europe, concluded a comprehensive evaluation process involving 14 candidate vehicles competing in the three categories: Urban, Intercity, and Coach.
SOLARIS Urbino 10,5 Electric wins the Sustainable Bus Award 2026 in the Urban category
The SOLARIS Urbino 10.5 Electric has been awarded the Sustainable Bus Award 2026 in the Urban category, an international recognition that highlights excellence in sustainable mobility and innovation applied to public transport. The model is characterized by the adoption of a modular powertrain that optimizes
onboard space and facilitates maintenance operations. Equipped with a high-capacity battery of over 400 kWh and a 250 kW motor – according to the company – the Urbino 10.5 offers a range over 600 kilometer (according to eSORT), providing a concrete response to the operational needs of urban fleets.
A particular focus has been placed on sustainability: recyclability exceeds 95%, while the structure uses steel with a recycled content of almost 97% . The CO₂ heat pump air-conditioning system also represents a low environmental impact solution.
IVECO Bus Crossway NF ELEC wins the Intercity 2026 category
The international jury of the Sustainable Bus Award has assigned the Intercity 2026 category recognition to the IVECO Bus Crossway NF ELEC.
The Crossway is the best-selling Class II & Class III intercity bus model in Europe: since its launch in 2006, more than 65,000 units have been produced in various versions, lengths and with different drivetrains.
Now, following the battery-electric Low Entry version, the highfloor model has been introduced to address the needs of a market increasingly moving toward electric drivetrains, including for medium-distance journeys typical of intercity routes.
The vehicle is equipped with a centralized electric driveline rated at 290 kW, combined with modular NMC batteries up to 414 kWh, delivering an operating range of up to 400 kilometers, according to the company. The modular battery configuration allows operators to adapt capacity to different service requirements, with optimized charging times through CCS Combo 2 technology up to 240 kW.
Digital equipment includes the IVECO ON portal, providing fleet management, consumption analysis and predictive maintenance services. From a sustainability perspective, the vehicle is produced in a facility certified according to ISO 14001, 5001, 45001 and 9001, with the use of recycled materials and technical solutions aimed at reducing environmental impact.
The Sustainable Bus Award 2026 in the Coach category has been assigned to the MAN Lion’s Coach 14 E
The vehicle features a fully electric driveline with a continuous power output of 330 kW and a battery capacity of up to 534 kWh, enabling fast charging and a range suitable for long-distance operations.
A high-energy storage configuration, according to the OEM, allows for a range of up to 650 kilometers, depending on conditions and usage. In terms of safety, the MAN Lion’s Coach E is equipped with an advanced driver assistance package that includes Emergency Brake Assist Plus, Adaptive Cruise Control Stop&Go, Lane Departure Warning, the OptiView mirror replacement system, and MAN
AttentionGuard. These technologies ensure compliance with the latest standards in active and passive safety. Regarding comfort, the vehicle offers a wide range of interior configurations and accessibility solutions, supported by onboard digital systems and extended connectivity through the RIO platform.
From a sustainability perspective, the model achieves more than 95% recyclability of its components, is produced at facilities certified according to international environmental standards, and integrates responsible lifecycle management of its batteries.
