Turkish firm Karsan showcases electric minibus at Euro Bus Expo in UK

Renowned Turkish bus manufacturer Karsan presented its right-hand drive fully electric e-JEST minibus at the Euro Bus Expo in Birmingham, UK on Tuesday.

The company is aiming to capture a strong share of the United Kingdom's market, Karsan's Deputy General Manager of Commercial Affairs, Deniz Cetin, told Anadolu.

Cetin said right-hand drive markets have long been a focus of the company's global expansion strategy. Karsan has already entered the Japanese market with the right-hand drive e-JEST and is now turning its attention to the UK.

Cetin said the UK market has always been a primary goal for the company.

“What makes the UK special is that it is a great showcase for all right-hand drive markets. There are many opportunities here. This is a market that competitors have difficulty entering,” he said.

The UK also offers a gateway to other right-hand drive markets, including Ireland, Malta and Singapore, according to Cetin.

“We think that we will gain a market share that will create added value for us in the UK and that we will see the commercial benefits of this. Therefore, this stands out as one of our priority development areas. Our goal in our markets is to reach a 25%-30% share with this product. This probably means that the number of e-JESTs here will exceed 100. This is a very serious market share, and of course it takes some time to reach it, but we have the patience for it,” he said.

Karsan plans to deliver 10 e-JEST minibuses to the UK in the initial phase, with the first two expected to arrive in February 2025, he said.

The e-JEST, a compact 6-meter electric minibus, offers a range of up to 210 kilometers (130 miles) powered by BMW's 135 kW electric motor and an 88-kWh battery. The vehicle supports fast charging, taking just one hour to fully charge, and can also recharge itself by up to 25% through its regenerative braking system. With a passenger capacity of 17 in the right-hand drive version tailored for the UK market, the e-JEST combines high maneuverability, a dynamic design and a spacious interior.

The minibus features a fully digital dashboard, touchscreen control systems, USB outputs, and optional Wi-Fi infrastructure, enhancing passenger comfort. Equipped with advanced safety features such as Electronic Stability Control (ESP) and hill holder, a driver assist feature that prevents a vehicle from rolling back or forward on a hill, as well as a 4-wheel independent suspension system, the e-JEST aims to provide the comfort of a passenger car while offering environmentally friendly and cost-efficient transportation solutions.

“We generally create our own demand. This product is a product that users in the market ask, ‘Where do I use this product? What need does it meet?' We think that this product can be used in many areas, instead of large buses, during hours when passenger density is low. We can explain to our users that this is more efficient for both the environment and reducing operational costs. In this context, the vast majority of our customers are municipalities. They normally purchase through tenders. However, this product can also have different areas of use such as hospitals or university campuses,” Cetin said.

Karsan, headquartered in Türkiye with more than 58 years of experience in automotive manufacturing, produces a wide range of commercial vehicles, including fully electric and autonomous models. The company has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable public transportation solutions, offering an electric product range from 6 to 18 meters. The e-JEST marks another step in Karsan's mission to expand globally, following its success in Europe, North America and Japan.