Karsan announces 18-metre hydrogen bus and new battery developments, with 424 e-buses delivered in Italy

Karsan announced new product, battery and charging developments for its electric bus range at Next Mobility Exhibition in Milan, while confirming more than 400 electric buses delivered in Italy and around 100 vehicles currently in production for the Italian market in 2026.

Speaking at NME in mid-May, Halit Özgür Altınsoy, International Sales Director at Karsan, outlined the company’s current position in the Italian market and presented the next technological developments planned for the manufacturer’s electric portfolio.

According to the company, Karsan has delivered 424 electric buses in Italy to date through its local organization Karsan Europe and dealer network K-Mobility. The manufacturer also stated that 101 additional vehicles are currently in production for deliveries scheduled in 2026.

Karsan said that these results allowed the company to become the second player in the Italian electric minibus and electric bus market in 2025.

What is worth mentioning, at NME Karsan stated that it plans to launch the 18-metre articulated version of the e-ATA Hydrogen in 2027.

Karsan introduces new battery specifics

Among the main announcements made at NME, Karsan highlighted the introduction of a new-generation NMC battery for its electric minibus range.

The manufacturer also confirmed an increase in battery capacity for its 18-metre electric buses up to 800 kWh, alongside charging capability reaching 600 kW through plug-in charging systems for articulated vehicles (no more details were shared about this latter topic).

According to the company, further battery development projects are also underway.

Concerning the upcoming 18-meter fuel cell e-ATA Hydrogen model, the vehicle will feature a range extender architecture and is intended to address higher-capacity urban transport applications.

Bari BRT project and Catania fleet among Italian references

Karsan also used the event to highlight several ongoing projects in Italy.

The Bari Bus Rapid Transit project will include 42 Karsan e-ATA 18-metre electric buses equipped with 800 kWh battery packs. According to the company, the vehicles will also integrate AI-based ITS systems with real-time passenger counting and advanced video analytics systems for passenger and driver safety.

The manufacturer also referred to the fleet delivered to AMTS Catania, currently the largest Karsan electric bus fleet operating in Italy. Karsan stated that 88 electric vehicles and 56 charging stations have already been delivered for the Sicilian city.