You probably never heard of Karsan but the Turkish company is actually quite big in the bus-manufacturing business, especially when it comes to the Middle East and some parts of Europe. The ambitious Turks wanted to create an electric alternative to the usual diesel buses they make and wanted the best tech to do so. Therefore, they went to BMW i to see if a deal can be reached and recently, their first take on an electric bus, the Karsan Jest Electric, passed a series of tests in Munich to get the green light to enter production.
The bus was tested by BMW engineers on the Maisach track in Munich, Germany. The Karsan Jest Electric bus passed the comprehensive tests with flying colors and received straight As from BMW. “Jest Electric achieved impressive results in the tests and got full marks. In addition, we held various meetings with transport companies operating in Germany. We will develop our strategic partnerships to increase Jest Electric’s share in European and US markets,” said an enthusiastic Muzaffer Arpacıoğlu, Deputy General Manager for Commercial Affairs after the trial runs were done.
The BMW electric motor powering Jest Electric constantly produces a power of 170 HP and a torque of 290 Nm, while working in unison with a single-speed transmission. The bus, which can be equipped with BMW’s 33 or 66 kWh batteries, offers a range of up to 165 km. It can be fully charged in 8 hours through conventional AC charging units, or in 1.2 hours at fast charging stations. Furthermore, the regenerative brake system provides energy recovery by enabling the batteries to recharge at a rate of 25%.
The bus also comes with a 4-wheel independent suspension system which should make trips rather comfortable for the passengers. Production has kicked off and there are already three orders about to be fulfilled, two for Portugal and one heading for Slovakia.
