Karsan has won the tender for 31 (24 + 7 optional) 18-metre electric buses for Bologna’s public transport system, with its e-ATA 18 model (the range was launched last year). This was reported by several Turkish media, including the trade platform DevirSaati. The delivery of the vehicles is planned to take place in the last quarter of 2023.

In addition to purchasing the buses, Karsan will also maintain the vehicles for 18 years, it is reported. The vehicles will be equipped with a pantograph system for fast charging. The group recently launched the 12-metre fuel cell version at the IAA in Hanover. HERE our video test drive with the Karsan e-Ata 12.

Karsan: up to 31 electric buses in Bologna

The tender, published by TPER in March, envisages the purchase of 24 18-metre electric buses with opportunity charging and an option for 7 electric buses with the same charging system. The auction base is EUR 49.6 million and the contract term is set for 850 days. It’s the second e-bus tender issued by TPER. The very first tender was awarded to VDL.

Karsan CEO Okan Baş said: “We are proud to add new successes to those already achieved in Italy. This tender we won is full of novelties in many respects. With this tender, after the sales of e-JEST and e-ATAK, we now enter the Italian market with e-ATA. This agreement is also particularly important because it is the first contract for Karsan 18-metre electric buses after Romania. Like Karsan, we aim to achieve significant growth in Italy in the coming period with our electric vehicles.”

Highlights

Related articles

Test-driving the Mercedes eCitaro G fuel cell

When it comes to electric vehicles, one of the key issues is range, which is the biggest point of vulnerability to date. For a 18m articulated vehicle that can weigh up to 30 tonnes and carry almost 130 passengers, the demand for power becomes quite significant and mileage is essential for being abl...