Europe Asia News

Playing a leading role in the transformation of the world's public transportation infrastructure with its electric and autonomous vehicles, Karsan has succeeded in achieving another important success in its 60th year in the sector. Continuing to work in line with its vision of "being one step ahead in the future of mobility", the company has left behind another important milestone with the Karsan JEST model family, which started production in 2013. Karsan, the only independent multi-brand vehicle manufacturer in the Turkish automotive industry, has rolled off its 10,000th vehicle in JEST, one of the most successful models in its history.

Continuing its operations at the Hasanağa Factory in Bursa, Karsan continues its production in 3 shifts as of today. Commenting on the subject, Karsan CEO Okan Baş said, "As Karsan, we have reached an important milestone today; The number of JEST models we produce in our factory has exceeded 10 thousand. This success is not just a production figure; It is also a symbol of the perseverance and dedication of a passionate team that believes in our vision. We have made this success possible together by working in harmony with the same goal in all processes from logistics to production, from quality to engineering. I would like to sincerely thank all my teammates who contributed to this journey."

Emphasizing that Karsan has become a global brand with its technological superiority and flexible production power, Okan Baş said, "The production of 10 thousand JEST units in just 12 years clearly reveals how powerful this model is. This figure represents the sustainable growth of our company, its solid position in the industry and its belief in the future. We call JEST 'Game Changer' because it has rewritten the rules of the game in the world, especially in Europe. As a brand working with the mission of providing creative, sustainable and inspiring solutions and suggestions to customer needs in the world land transportation market, our JEST production started in 2013. The very next year, we received the 'Best Design Award' in the Design Türkiye competition with our vehicle. Then, in 2017, we launched JEST+, which we redesigned with its aesthetic appearance and advanced features. Afterwards, the electric era started at Karsan."

Stating that in 2018, they introduced e-JEST, Karsan's first electric vehicle designed with the vision of "being one step ahead in mobility", Okan Baş continued:

"Karsan e-JEST, which is powered by the electrical equipment provided by BMW i, was introduced for the first time in Munich in cooperation with BMW. This step was the first time that Europe's best-selling electric minibus debuted on the European stage for 5 consecutive years. Finally, in 2023, Karsan e-JEST achieved another important success by becoming the first European electric bus brand to enter the Japanese market with its right-hand drive version. The 10,000th JEST production shows us that we still have a long way to go and motivates us as well. The JEST family will continue to renew itself and develop itself while renewing itself in order to achieve much greater success. With the JEST vehicles we have produced, we have increased our market share not only in Türkiye but also in a wide geography extending from Europe to America. We would like to thank all our employees who contributed to this great success, and we look forward to moving forward together towards our new goals."

Proving itself with its high maneuverability and unparalleled passenger comfort, Karsan e-JEST offers the best performance in the 6-meter small bus class by offering a range of up to 210 kilometers thanks to its BMW-signed electric motor producing 170 HP power and 290 Nm torque and its 88 kWh battery. Equipped with a 12-inch touchscreen multimedia screen, fully digital instrument panel, keyless start, USB port and providing Wi-Fi compatible infrastructure upon request, e-JEST does not look for the comfort of a passenger car with its 4-wheel independent suspension system.