Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolia (GZM), the metropolitan authority for Upper Silesia in southern Poland, has taken delivery of 31 Irizar ie electric buses for service across Sosnowiec, Świerklaniec, Katowice and Gliwice. The fleet, presented in July 2026, comprises 16 articulated 18-metre vehicles and 15 standard 12-metre e-buses.

The e-buses are supplied by Irizar e-mobility, the Spanish bus manufacturer’s electric division, and will enter public service shortly after their July 2026 presentation. GZM coordinates public transport across a metropolitan region spanning several major cities in Upper Silesia, one of the most densely populated areas in Poland.

The two-format fleet gives GZM operational flexibility across the four cities, with the longer articulated vehicles suited to higher-capacity corridors and the standard 12-metre e-buses to routes with lower demand. All 31 vehicles are fully electric, eliminating direct emissions from those services in the GZM network.

Electric bus procurement has grown rapidly across Central and Eastern European cities, driven by EU decarbonisation targets and the availability of regional funding that has made large-scale fleet transitions more financially viable. A fleet of 31 vehicles from a single procurement represents a substantial commitment to zero-emission urban transport from GZM, building on the electrification strategies that metropolitan authorities across the region are pursuing.

Source: Irizar e-mobility