Karsan announced a series of product, battery and charging technology developments for its electric bus lineup at the Next Mobility Exhibition (NME) in Milan, while confirming that it has delivered more than 400 electric buses in Italy and has over 100 additional vehicles scheduled for delivery in 2026.
Speaking at the event in May, Halit Özgür Altınsoy, International Sales Director at Karsan, outlined the company’s progress in the Italian market and detailed upcoming developments for its electric and hydrogen-powered vehicle portfolio.
According to Karsan, the company has delivered 424 electric buses in Italy through its local organization, Karsan Europe, and dealer network K-Mobility. The manufacturer added that 101 more vehicles are currently in production for delivery next year.
Karsan said its performance has helped it become the second-largest player in Italy’s electric minibus and electric bus market in 2025.
New Battery and Charging Developments
Among the announcements made at NME, Karsan introduced a new-generation NMC battery for its electric minibus range as part of its efforts to improve vehicle performance and operating flexibility.
The company also confirmed plans to increase battery capacity in its 18-meter electric buses to as much as 800 kWh. In addition, Karsan said articulated electric buses will support charging rates of up to 600 kW through plug-in charging systems, although further technical details were not disclosed.
The manufacturer noted that additional battery development projects remain under way as it continues to expand the capabilities of its zero-emission vehicle lineup.
Hydrogen Bus Expansion Planned for 2027
Karsan also revealed plans to launch an 18-meter articulated version of its e-ATA Hydrogen bus in 2027.
According to the company, the new fuel-cell model will feature a range-extender architecture and will be designed for higher-capacity urban transport operations. The vehicle is expected to complement the existing e-ATA Hydrogen lineup as cities seek alternative zero-emission solutions for heavily used transit corridors.
Italian Projects Highlight Growing Presence
The company used the Milan exhibition to showcase several ongoing projects in Italy, including its involvement in the Bari Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network.
Karsan said the Bari project will deploy 42 e-ATA 18-meter electric buses equipped with 800-kWh battery packs. The vehicles are expected to feature artificial intelligence-based intelligent transportation systems (ITS), including real-time passenger counting and advanced video analytics technologies designed to enhance passenger and driver safety.
The manufacturer also highlighted its collaboration with local transit operator AMTS in Catania. According to Karsan, the Sicilian city currently operates the largest Karsan electric bus fleet in Italy, with 88 electric buses and 56 charging stations already delivered.