Karsan’s 100% Electric Autonomous e-JEST Hits the Roads in America
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Karsan Receives Its First Order of 10 Autonomous e-JESTs from the U.S.
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Karsan’s “Cute Bus” Enters the U.S. Market in Its Driverless Version
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Known in America as the “Cute Bus,” Karsan’s e-JEST is now taking to the roads in its autonomous version
As one of the world’s leading public transportation brands, Karsan held the American debut of its Autonomous e-JEST on November 5 in Orlando, following its European launch earlier in October at Busworld Europe 2025. The Autonomous e-JEST, presented to the North American market for the first time at a special event, was tested by customers, distributor, and members of the press from different regions of the United States and received great interest. Immediately after the launch, Karsan Autonomous e-JEST was also showcased at the Florida Autonomous Vehicle Summit (FAV Summit) held from November 5–7, where it offered outdoor autonomous ride experiences to attendees—attracting significant attention during its first U.S. public demonstration. This enthusiastic reception reaffirmed Karsan’s innovative vision in autonomous mobility and its strong global potential. Cementing this success, Karsan received its first order of 10 Autonomous e-JESTs from the U.S., marking another milestone in the brand’s global journey. This achievement represents more than just a commercial success—it’s also a reflection of Karsan’s powerful collaboration ecosystem with its technology partner ADASTEC, North American distributor Damera, and service orchestrator partner Beep. Together, these partnerships enable Karsan to deliver an end-to-end autonomous mobility experience, from production line to on-road operation. The Autonomous e-JEST fleet is scheduled to begin public road service in 2026 within Atlanta area and Central Florida. These vehicles will be the first electric and autonomous city minibuses in the U.S., further strengthening Karsan’s position as a pioneering brand in autonomous public transport across both Europe and North America.
Commenting on the development, Karsan CEO Okan Baş said: “With this step, we are strengthening our autonomous presence in America following our success in Europe. Our e-JEST model, which entered North America in 2022, was met with great enthusiasm and affection—earning the nickname ‘Cute Bus’. Now, we are taking our position in the market one step further with its latest autonomous version, the Autonomous e-JEST. The order of 10 Autonomous e-JESTs from the U.S. is the clearest indication of trust in Karsan’s technological strength and strong partnerships in autonomous mobility. Combining the agility and efficiency of e-JEST with the proven autonomous technology of our e-ATAK model opens the doors to a new era in urban transportation. With this move, we once again demonstrate that Karsan is ready to deliver electric, autonomous, and future-ready mobility solutions in the North American market.”
ORLANDO. November 5, 2025. Playing a pioneering role in the transformation of public transportation into electric and autonomous vehicles worldwide, Karsan continues to expand into new markets with its newly introduced Autonomous e-JEST. Maintaining its leading role in urban mobility solutions, Karsan is opening a new chapter in its autonomous transformation journey with its presentation in America, following the European launch at the Busworld Europe 2025 fair. The Autonomous e-JEST is preparing to start operations in America in cooperation with Karsan’s technology partner ADASTEC, North American distributor Damera, and autonomous service orchestrator partner Beep.
The order of 10 Autonomous e-JESTs received from America reveals not only Karsan’s technological strength but also the success of its trust-based global collaborations. Within the scope of these collaborations, it is planned that the first Autonomous e-JESTs will start public road service in 2026 in the Atlanta Area and Central Florida.
The JEST Family Has Become a Symbol of Trust and Success
Emphasizing that Karsan continues to strengthen its presence in the American market, Karsan CEO Okan Baş said: “With this step, we are strengthening our autonomous presence in America following our success in Europe. Our e-JEST model, which entered North America in 2022, was met with great interest in a short time and began to be called the ‘Cute Bus’. Now, with the Autonomous e-JEST, the latest version of our beloved model equipped with the most advanced autonomous technology, we are taking our place in the market one step further.” Baş continued: “The JEST model family, born in 2016, has quickly become a symbol of trust and success in urban public transport. With more than 10,000 units produced, our JEST model has achieved strong sales success in Europe and other markets and is the leader in its 6-meter (19 ft) electric segment. With its compact design, eco-friendly structure, and high maneuverability, JEST has become a real ‘gamechanger’ in public transport.
On the other hand, with our Autonomous e-ATAK model, we have gained more than four years of real operational experience and successfully tested it in different markets. The experience we have gained in this process has further strengthened Karsan’s leadership in autonomous public transport. Now we are transferring this know-how to the e-JEST platform. With the U.S. launch, the agile and efficient structure of e-JEST is combined with the proven autonomous technology of the Autonomous e-ATAK, opening the doors to a new era in urban mobility.
With this new move, we strongly demonstrate that our brand can now offer electric, autonomous, and future-ready solutions in the North American market as well. As Karsan Autonomous e-JEST continues to prove its success, it will continue to guide not only new markets but also the future of urban mobility.”
Preparations Have Begun for the First Autonomous e-JEST Operations in the U.S.!
Karsan has started the preparation process for the delivery of the first 10-units Autonomous e-JEST in America, planned to start initial operations in Florida and Georgia in 2026, together with its technology partner ADASTEC, North American distributor Damera, and service orchestrator partner Beep, with whom it is jointly shaping the autonomous ecosystem in America.
Commenting on the issue, Karsan Chief Commercial Officer Deniz Çetin said: “The first Autonomous e-JEST projects in America are a concrete reflection of Karsan’s global vision. We are proud to bring to America the experience we have gained over the years by carrying ticketed passengers in open traffic in autonomous driving mode. These collaborations are a very valuable step that reinforces the transformation power of our brand on a global scale.”
ADASTEC CEO Dr. Ali Peker said: “After successfully completing more than 93,200 miles of autonomous driving on public roads under real road conditions and safely transporting 60,000 passengers, ADASTEC’s technology is ready for the next step. With the new Autonomous e-JEST model, automated by ADASTEC, offered through Karsan’s official distributor Damera Corp and supported by Beep’s Automated Service Orchestrator Partnership, we will, through our implementations in Atlanta area and Central Florida, make a real contribution to U.S. public transportation and advance safe and production-level autonomous mobility
Beep CEO and Board Chair Kevin Reid stated:
“This milestone represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of shared autonomous mobility across the U.S. and globally. Through our collaboration with Karsan, Damera, and ADASTEC, we’ve delivered a proven, automotive-grade platform that’s scalable and ready to meet the demands of transportation operators seeking reliable autonomous solutions.”
Karsan Autonomous e-JEST: A New Era in Urban Transportation!
The Karsan Autonomous e-JEST, the Level 4 autonomous driving version of Europe’s best-selling electric minibus e-JEST for the past five years, attracts attention with its design focused on people, cities, the planet, and the future. Developed especially for narrow streets and historical city centers, the model offers a safe, environmentally friendly, and efficient public transportation solution with Level-4 autonomous driving technology. With its high maneuverability and compact dimensions, the Autonomous e-JEST sets a new standard in urban transportation, standing out as the most up-to-date reflection of Karsan’s mobility vision, nourished by the 150,000 km of autonomous driving experience of the Autonomous e-ATAK.
Karsan Autonomous e-JEST: A New Experience in Urban Transportation
Karsan’s smartest solution in urban mobility, the Autonomous e-JEST, brings the standards of the future to city life with its compact dimensions and advanced technology.The model, which is 19 ft (6 m) long and has a motor power of 135 kW, stands out in its U.S.-specific version with a capacity of 16 passengers, an 88 kWh battery, a range of 130 miles (210 km), and a fast-charging feature completed in only 1 hour and 25 minutes. Thanks to its independent suspension system, the Autonomous e-JEST offers a car-like driving comfort, combining comfort and technology in urban transportation.
The Autonomous e-JEST maximizes safety with its advanced sensing package consisting of 23 sensors that scan the surroundings 360 degrees. This system, consisting of LiDAR, radar, GNSS, and cameras, analyzes data coming from all directions of the vehicle and makes every decision, from lane keeping to turning timing, with AI-supported precision. Providing full vision even in blind spots, the system instantly detects and reacts to pedestrians, cyclists, or sudden movements, creating a safety shield that leaves no room for human error. In heavy city traffic, no detail goes unnoticed because road safety is now under the control of the Autonomous e-JEST.
Fully compliant with FMVSS and ADA standards for the American market, the Karsan Autonomous e-JEST successfully completed the challenging Altoona tests and is presented as a mass-production-ready OEM model. To date, more than 10,000 JESTs have been produced; more than 1,000 of these are electric versions serving on the roads of Europe, North America, and Japan. This deep production heritage and global experience represent the proven reliability, high service efficiency, and long-lasting performance of the Autonomous e-JEST under real-world conditions.
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