Karsan is ready to launch the 18-meter e-bus (and achieved Turkey’s largest electric bus export deal so far)

Karsan has just been awarded Turkey’s largest electric bus export deal worth 35 million euros. The group won the tenders for fully electric public transport solutions, issued by the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Management. Karsan won both tenders with its fully electric 18-meter bus, for an amount of as many as 56 units.

Following the tender, two ceremonies were held in Romania with the participation of Karsan CEO Okan Baş, where the official signatures were made for the public transportation system export worth 35 million euros.

Very soon we will be expanding our product range with our new fully electric bus model in the 12- and 18-meter class. These tenders do not only mean bus sales. At Karsan, we take a holistic approach to transportation. To this end, we will also be installing a total of 75 charging stations, 19 of them quick-chargers, alongside providing all maintenance services and garage operations for the vehicles.

Karsan CEO Okan Baş

Karsan will deliver a total of 56 electric buses as part of the tender, 44 of them to the Municipality of Timişoara, and 12 to the Municipality of Braşov. Karsan will also install a total of 75 charging stations (19 of them quick-chargers) in the region, and will undertake all maintenance and garage operations of all vehicles for six years for a comprehensive fully electric public transportation system service, the manufacturer says.

Karsan, 56 electric buses in Romania

This deal marks the highest-priced export contract signed by a Turkish company for the sale of electric buses. Both tenders were opened by the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Management. Karsan won the tenders of Timişoara Municipality and Braşov Municipality for 44 and 12 units of 18-meter electric buses, respectively, to be used in urban public transport services. Karsan will also install a total of 75 charging stations (19 of them quick-chargers) in Romania, and will undertake all maintenance and garage operations of all vehicles for six years for a comprehensive fully electric public transportation system service.

Karsan plans to start its first party of deliveries in 2022.

Ekoenergetyka to deliver 75 charging stations in Romania

Ekoenergetyka has been chosen as infrastructure supplier for the two contracts. According to the deal, in Spring 2022 the Polish company will deliver 19 pantographs (300kW each) and 56 stationary chargers, 40kW each. It is the Ekoenergetyka’s largest project in Romania, which includes installation, commissioning and service of  the devices. To be more specific, Timişoara will get 44 slow chargers and 15 pantograph-chargers, while 12 depot chargers and 4 fast chargers are headed to Brașov.

1 million km with Atak Electric and Jest Electric

Karsan CEO Okan Baş stated “The future of transportation lies in electric and driverless public transport vehicles. We have been continuously investing in this area. Since 2018, we have been launching our fully electric models one after another. Atak Electric and Jest Electric continue to prevail in Europe as zero emission vehicles, and now with more than 1 million kilometers of total coverage they’ve gained us an important experience. Today our electric buses are in service in many countries ranging from Romania, France, Germany, Portugal and all the way to Mexico. Among these, Romania is a very precious market for us. After France, our second largest electric bus market is in Romania with 65 buses. In addition, Romania has been adapting to electrical transformation very quickly in terms of transportation. We are supporting this pace and Romania’s needs for efficient public transport vehicles with our high-tech electric products ranging from 6 meters to 18 meters. The dynamics of the Karsan brand are very much in line with Romania’s dynamics in terms of quickly adapting to technological transformation”.

He added: “We are also very excited to announce that very soon we will be expanding our product range with our new fully electric bus model in the 12- and 18-meter class, which we will debuting soon in Turkey, and, at this point, we believe that we have made a great start with this tender we won. Totaling 35 million euros, these tenders do not only mean bus sales. At Karsan, we take a holistic approach to transportation. To this end, we will also be installing a total of 75 charging stations, 19 of them quick-chargers, alongside providing all maintenance services and garage operations for the vehicles. Hence we may as well call this 35-million euro agreement an electric public transportation system agreement. At Karsan, we are very happy and delighted to have signed a 35 Million Euro worth electric bus export deal, the biggest so far in the history of the Turkish Automobile industry.  At Karsan, we will keep coming up with breakthroughs with electric and driverless vehicles.”