Italian carrier Busitalia deploys first Karsan hydrogen buses in Terni

Italian carrier Busitalia has launched two hydrogen-powered Karsan e-ATA Hydrogen buses into service in the Italian city of Terni, not far from Perugia, in Umbria region. Karsan is currently in the phase of moving to another fuel cell module supplier (Ballard) and has just announced at Milan’s Next Mobility Exhibition that next year also the 18-meter version of the fuel cell model will be on the market.

Karsan hydrogen buses deployed in Terni

According to Italian trade media outlet Autobusweb, the buses were officially presented by the Municipality of Terni and procured through Italy’s Consip purchasing framework with funding from the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Mobility. The approval process for the acquisition was completed in 2025, while Busitalia’s hydrogen mobility initiative dates back to 2020.

The buses are supplied by Turkish manufacturer Karsan and marketed in Italy by Kmobility. Representatives from the municipality, Busitalia — part of FS Group — and the manufacturer attended the unveiling event in Piazza Europa. Busitalia also participated in vehicle testing and commissioning ahead of service entry.

The initiative is connected to the European LIFE3H project, co-financed through the EU LIFE programme, aimed at supporting hydrogen deployment in public transport.

Alongside the vehicle rollout, the city is preparing hydrogen infrastructure developments, including a dedicated refuelling station expected to be completed by 2027. In the meantime, Linde Gas Italia has implemented a temporary fuelling solution to enable immediate operations of the hydrogen buses.