“AS KARSAN, WE TARGET TO GROW GLOBALLY”

“THE ELECTRICAL CONVERSION CAN BE ACCELERATED SOME MORE BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES IN TURKEY”

Stating that as Karsan, they are the first and only European brand that can offer the entire range of electrical products needed by municipalities or operators in the urban public transportation market from 6 to 18 meters, Karsan Marketing and Export Director Aslı Ör said that; “Our transformation as Karsan began four years ago. We always act with the vision of being one step ahead in the future of mobility. This means that we apply the technologies of the future to our product solutions before anyone else and bring them together with our customers.”

“e-Jest is the Market Leader of the Electric Minibus Market in Europe for the Last Two Years”

Stating that they put their first electrical product, the e-Jest model, into operation at the end of 2018 in line with this transformation, Ör said that e-Jest, the smallest of the family; is 5.8 meters in size, has a BMW battery, electric motor and charging infrastructure. Ör continued her words as follows: “It is a product that is the apple of our eye and has been the market leader of the electric minibus market in Europe for the last two years in a row. We are also very proud that Karsan, as a Turkish brand, has achieved such a success in Europe. In this vehicle, the battery technology, electric motor and charging infrastructure used in the BMW i model, of which more than 250 thousand were sold, are used. It is very valuable for us that he has proven himself. Our vehicle has a range of 210 kilometers. It has a passenger capacity of 22 people, with the number of sitting and standing approximately. With fast charging, we can charge our vehicle in as little as 55 minutes.”

"e-Atak Becomes the Segment's Best Selling Vehicle in the Electric Minibus Market in Europe"

Stating that they launched the 8-meter electric e-Atak vehicles in June 2019, Ör emphasizes that the 8-meter is a creative vehicle and a pioneering model in its class in Turkey. Mentioning that they have brought e-Atak to consumers in the European market by electrifying it, Ör said that; “Last year, e-Atak became the best-selling vehicle of the segment in the electric minibus market in Europe. Here, too, we offer a very ambitious range. We provide a range of 300 kilometers in our 8-meter vehicle, which has a passenger capacity of 52 people. This is 300 kilometers in real conditions, not when the car is empty. A range that can really meet your needs. Our vehicle has BMW's battery technology and can be charged in three hours with a fast charge. It can be recharged in five hours with a household charger that we leave to charge overnight. Our vehicle can meet the need to travel all day long.”

“Autonomous e-Atak Started Carrying Passengers on a Public Transport Line for the First Time in Norway”

Mentioning that they focused on developing self-driving vehicles after launching e-Atak in June 2019, Ör underlines that Karsan's vision is to adapt future technologies to product solutions before anyone else. Ör said that; “Therefore, we thought, 'How can we adapt autonomous technologies immediately?' and we launched our Karsan autonomous e-Atak model at the beginning of 2021. In fact, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan carried out the first test drive at the Presidential Complex. Currently, one of our vehicles is autonomously transporting the guests in the complex. More importantly, our autonomous e-Atak vehicle has now started to transport passengers on a public transport line for the first time in Norway in Europe.”

“We Are Signing The Firsts”

Stating that the passenger who gets in the vehicle by having their ticket read in the Autonomous e-Atak autonomously reaches their destination, Ör emphasizes that this practice is a first in Europe. Stating that the use of an autonomous vehicle in public transportation is very valuable, Ör said that; “This came into play at the beginning of May. In autonomous vehicles, there is a control point in the center and the vehicle communicates with it. In other words, if there is a malfunction in autonomous driving, the center is informed, in this case, intervention can be made. A smart mechanism is used, there are many sensors and different technological equipment in our vehicle. All of these technological equipment communicate with each other. In addition to the hardware components, a software called Level 4 is used in the vehicle. We adapted our software to our vehicle in cooperation with another Turkish technology company, ADASTEC. This software is like the brain of the vehicle, managing all kinds of commands. In other words, it manages all objects perceived from the outside, where it should do what, and movement with smart mechanisms. For this reason, when an error occurs, communication with the center can be established and intervention can be made thanks to this software. For example, the software matches the human brain, and the other technological equipment on the vehicle acts like eyes and ears. With its autonomous sensors, the vehicle detects a cyclist in the blind spot early on. We have also signed a first in America, we have a project. Currently at Michigan State University, our autonomous vehicle has begun to transport students, teachers, and visitors across the university's five-mile campus, in real-world traffic conditions. This is a very important project and a first in America. So we are breaking new ground. As Karsan, we aim to grow globally. It is very proud for all of us that we are breaking new ground like this and that a Turkish brand is expanding abroad.”

“e-Ata Was Designed To Be Electric Only”

Mentioning that they commissioned the e-Ata in 10, 12 and 18 meters in size at the end of last year in order to meet all the needs in urban transportation in the public transportation market, Ör emphasizes that the e-Ata was produced as an electric bus and has not been converted from a conventional vehicle to an electric one. Ör said that; “When you get into the vehicle, there is a floor infrastructure that we call a full low floor, which does not have any obstacles or steps, which allows you to move easily. Thus, passengers; elderly or disabled passengers can move very easily. More importantly, when we look at it from the point of view of operators and municipalities, this vehicle can provide a range of 450 kilometers in real conditions. When the vehicle is full in stop-and-go mode, it can travel 450 kilometers when the air conditioner is constantly on in summer driving mode, with the air factors it takes in through the doors by approaching the stops. Therefore, it can complete the day on a single charge. We offer flexible battery packs here, because the needs of each municipality and operator can be different. That's why we have different battery options, from the lowest capacity to 150kW/hour to 600kW/hour. We configure as much as they need and present our products. Accordingly, of course, our passenger capacity may also differ. However, the 450 kilometers range I mentioned is a very ambitious range; In the electric bus market, there is currently no vehicle that provides this level of range in real conditions. We are ambitious in this regard”

“e-Ata Has Up to 150 kW Charging Power in Wired Connection”

Saying that e-Ata can be charged in a range of one to four hours with wired charging, depending on the battery capacity, Ör said that; “The vehicle has a charging power of up to 150 kW in wired connection. For example, a 150 kW battery vehicle can be charged in an hour when preferred, while a 450 kW battery can be charged in three hours. In other words, once charged, the day can be completed with a single charge. Of course, apart from this, we offer a pantograph option solution with a higher capacity charging power, which we call pantograph charging. With the charging infrastructure we have placed on the roof of the vehicle, if the driver wishes, if there is a pantograph charging infrastructure at the stops, the pantograph charging option in stop-go mode can come from the roof of the vehicle and enable the vehicle to be filled with energy in two or three minutes and continue on the road. We also have that option.”

“We Will Start to See Our Ata Series Vehicles on the Roads in Europe”

Ör states that they launched the vehicles he mentioned in September last year, however, they received the first orders very quickly and won the first tenders. In December and January, they delivered 10 10-meter vehicles to the Municipality of Slatina in Romania; He states that the vehicles are currently operating in Romania and that they have received positive feedback from the municipality. Emphasizing that they signed Turkey's largest electric bus agreement, Ör said: “This agreement was an 18-meter bus agreement for 56 units last year. Again in Romania, we made an agreement with the Braşov and Timi?oara Municipalities, and even the production of these vehicles has started. We also have deliveries in June. We aim to complete all of these deliveries by the end of the year. In other words, we will start to see our Ata series vehicles on the roads in Europe from now on.”