Pioneering the transformation of the public transportation sector with the vision of being one step ahead in the future of mobility, Karsan maintains its work unremittedly to increase its strength in the European market. Karsan, which offers the market Europe’s most preferred models in a short time as part of its electric mobility move, continues to take part at the world’s distinguished fairs to further boost brand awareness.
Another award for Autonomous e-ATAK by UITP
In this context, Karsan took its place at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit carried out in Barcelona on June 5-7th, with its product range, each of which is the pioneer of its own field. Bringing together all transportation solutions, industry executives, operators and exhibitors, the fair attracts attention as the world’s largest event in the field of sustainable mobility. Karsan considers the fair as an opportunity to establish new connections, through which integrated transportation platforms and new transportation services were introduced, and which opened its doors with the theme of “Bright Light of the City“. With its models, 6-meter e-JEST, 8-meter Autonomous e-ATAK and 12-meter e-ATA HYDROGEN, each of which is one step ahead in its own class, Karsan took part at the fair that kicked off on June 5th. Karsan CEO Okan Baş, who also shared that the Special Appreciation Award was presented to the driverless Autonomous e-ATAK with its groundbreaking technology in public transportation, within the scope of UITP, said, “We have succeeded in attracting attention in the North American market after Europe with our ambitious models. Our e-JEST and e-ATAK models stand out in Europe as the most preferred electric vehicles of their segment. In the North American market, on the other hand, where we have recently entered, we, as Karsan, are leading the electric transformation in the market with e-JEST, the first electric minibus of the region.”
700 electric Karsan vehicles are on the roads across the world
Emphasizing that Karsan is the first and only brand in Europe with its electric options that it can offer in all sizes, Okan Baş said, “700 Karsan-branded electric minibuses and buses are in service in 20 different countries. This is a great pride for us as a European brand. Breaking new grounds with the Autonomous e-ATAK that carries passengers in Europe and the USA, we have become one step ahead in the field of autonomous transportation. Additionally, we are also at the top of the industry within the context of the hydrogen technology we have invested in. Our 12-meter e-ATA HYDROGEN model, which we exhibited at the fair, is one step ahead of its competitors with the best range and passenger capacity of its class.“
“Karsan, the fastest-growing brand in Europe“
Karsan CEO Okan Baş continued by saying, “We have been the leader of the electric minibus market in Europe with our e-JEST model for 3 years. With our e-ATAK model, on the other hand, we have been at the peak of the European electric midibus market for 2 years. Nearly 90 percent of Turkey’s electric minibus and bus exports in the last four years belongs to Karsan. It means that we are one step ahead again.” Emphasizing that they were the fast-growing brand in Europe last year, Okan Baş said, “We achieved a growth of 277 percent in 2022. Karsan was the fastest-growing brand in the European electric bus market for buses weighing more than 8 tons. And in 2022, our market share in the electric minibus and bus market in Europe also reached around 6.5 percent. The figure that we have expressed as 6.5 is the result of the operations we have carried out by focusing on 5-6 countries only. If we can increase the number of countries, we achieve a much stronger growth.”
“We will focus on Italy“
Karsan CEO Okan Baş continued by saying: “In the past 3 years, we have electrified our entire product family in public transportation. This move is the first and only in Europe. Karsan became the first and only brand that can offer electric buses in all sizes ranging from 6 meters to 18 meters. This is a very significant success.” Karsan CEO Okan Baş stated, “2022 was actually the first year when we, as a whole team, appeared in the market with our entire product range. For us, it was the year to sow. We started to reap the fruits, but in fact, we are a new brand in Europe as Karsan. We are firstly targeting Europe, then North America. Our goal we have determined for Europe is to double our electric vehicle sales and increase our market share. Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania and France are the markets where we started to operate 2.5 years ago, and which we have developed and enlarged during this period. In Luxembourg, we became the leader of the market in 2022. We have the largest electric bus parks in Portugal and Romania. In France, on the other hand, one of the largest markets of Europe, we completed 2022 by taking the third place in the electric public transport market. In terms of electric vehicle, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria are the markets we have just entered. We will focus on them.”
“We wish to make Karsan a global brand“
Emphasizing that they said “double” last year and achieved this, Okan Baş said: “Our goal for 2023 is to double sales figures of our electric vehicles. The journey we began with Canada in the North American market will continue with the United States. One of our primary goals this year is to increase our effectiveness in the North American market. We also want to enter new markets after European and North American markets. Accordingly, we signed a very important agreement last month. Karsan is entering the Japanese market with e-JEST. What excites us is that this product has been attracting customers. Being successful in the right-hand drive Japanese market is very valuable. This will also be an opportunity for us to enter other right-hand drive markets. In this direction, our work regarding the UK and Indonesia is also ongoing. We want to make Karsan a global brand in public transportation. We’re moving in that direction. We consider this year as a very important step in expanding our playground to the entire world.”