Karsan's electric minibus hits European roads


Karsan's Jest Electric, the first product of the supply agreement signed between domestic producer Karsan and BMW for electric motor vehicles, is on its way to Europe.

The first deliveries of Jest Electric have been made to France, Germany, Romania, Portugal and Slovakia, which have all started using it.

The company has received a total of 35 orders for Jest Electric from a number of countries, including France, Portugal, Romania, Lithuania, Slovakia, Greece, Italy and Germany, announcing that it has produced 20 of them at the Bursa factory and exported the finished products.

Karsan CEO Okan Baş said interest in Jest Electric continues to grow every day, adding: "With its distinguishing features of dimensions and battery technology from its rivals, Jest Electric has begun to attract the attention of Europeans. The Jest Electric, which has already hit the roads in France, Germany, Romania, Portugal and Slovakia, has started turning heads in Greece most recently."

According to Baş, the company recently won the tender for electric vehicles in Lithuania and increased the total number of orders to 35. "We continue to receive new orders and are preparing for new tenders," he explained.

The power of Jest Electric is derived from a 100 percent BMW electric engine that ensures strong acceleration. The BMW-made electromotor in Jest Electric boasts 170 horsepower and 290 Newton meters of torque, collaborating with a single rate gearbox.

Jest Electric, with its 44 and 88 kilowatt-hour batteries developed by BMW, offers up to 210 kilometers of range and can be charged in eight hours by conventional alternating current chargers and in one hour at fast charging stations.

Thanks to the regenerative braking system that provides energy recovery, the BMW ion batteries can recharge themselves by up to 25 percent.

The Jest Electric features a 10.1-inch multimedia touch screen, digital dashboard, keyless go, USB sockets and Wi-Fi compatible infrastructure. The four wheels of the vehicle have independent suspension systems.