The Solaris Urbino has been named Best City Bus of 2017 in the Bus of the Year awards ceremony held in Hannover.
The bus is best known for its cutting-edge use of copper handrails but it is also the first battery-powered vehicle to win the award.
This year's competition saw vehicles assessed in Brussels by a jury representing 20 countries. With a focus on green transport, four of the five finalists were electric and one was fuelled by natural gas.
Factors assessed included acceleration, stopping distance, vibration and noise level as well as subjective impressions from both a driver and passenger perspective.
Among other innovative features, the inclusion of copper handrails set the Solaris Urbino apart from the competition. Handrails are among the most frequently-touched surfaces on a bus and these are made of a lightweight, solid copper alloy which the company says has anti-microbial benefits.
Dr Andreas Strecker, chief executive of Solaris Bus & Coach, said: 'This prestigious award comes as a result of great teamwork by all involved, including our employees, suppliers and partner companies with whom we have developed our vehicles'
