Turkish commercial vehicles manufacturer Karsan is set to play a key role in the modernization of Kharkiv’s municipal transport infrastructure with the supply of buses and the development of local production. According to company officials, the first stage of an envisaged strategic partnership will see the delivery of 150 buses in the second half of the current year.

“We believe our six-meter Jest model and eight-meter Atak model will be ideal for Kharkiv’s evolving transportation needs, and will deliver the first 150 buses from July to October 2021 via our Ukrainian distributor MDG,” commented Karsan CEO Okan Bas. He also confirmed the company’s intention to begin the assembly of buses in Ukraine’s second city. “We will consider the possibility of investing in new production facilities in Ukraine,” said Bas.

The initial steps towards cooperation were first unveiled during the Mintrans Forum, which took place at the Kharkiv Palace hotel in early April 2021. Within the framework of the forum, Kharkiv municipal authorities signed a memorandum of cooperation with Karsan covering the purchase of buses and the development of local production facilities in Kharkiv.

During the forum, businessman Oleksandr Yaroslavsky’s Kharkiv-based Ecopolis HTZ high tech business park was identified as the most likely platform to host the future assembly of Karsan buses in Ukraine. Work is already underway to begin production of Kharkiv trams at Ecopolis HTZ.

Karsan is a Turkish commercial vehicle manufacturer which cooperates with a number of global brands including Peugeot, Hyundai, and Fiat. The company also produces a range of specialized vehicles including ambulances, taxis, and police cars.

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