BMW electrifies public transport

The BMW i brand, which produces the i3 electric city car and i8 electric-hybrid sports car, is well known. However, BMW i is now moving in a different emission-free direction and promoting sustainability in public transport.

For the first time, the electric motors and high-voltage batteries developed for the BMW i3 will be used to power a city bus, which is designed and made by Turkish manufacturer Karsan specifically for use in inner-city traffic.

“Collaboration with the BMW Group enables us to meet our customers’ needs in the electric-vehicle segment, as well as helping us take a major step forward in our transformation to becoming a supplier of sustainable mobility solutions,” explains Okan Baş, CEO of Karsan Automobil Industrie- und Handelsgesellschaft.

The 26-seat “Jest electric” uses the electric synchronous motor of the BMW i3 which generates a peak output of 125 kW (170 hp) and a maximum torque of 250 Nm. The energy required is supplied by a compact, light, lithium-ion battery that consists of eight modules comprising 12 cells each, and provides a capacity of up to 44 kilowatt-hours (kWh).

With a combination of two high-voltage batteries, pre-series prototypes of the Karsan Jest electric achieve a capacity of 88 kilowatt-hours and therefore a range of 210 km. When used on scheduled services, this means the city bus can run for 18 hours on end without an interim stop to refresh its energy supplies.

Interestingly, this is not the first time BMW i has ventured out of its own garage. Since last year, for example, BMW i has supplied energy-storage technology to Streetscooter GmbH, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post. The BMW i battery modules enable the street scooter to be used all day for delivering letters and packages without the need for interim charging.

The high-voltage batteries developed for the BMW i3 also supply energy for sustainable mobility on the water, a project which started in 2017. Torqeedo – a global leader in the manufacture of boat drives – uses the batteries as the energy source for its motors.

“Our industrial clients appreciate the easy handling of the plug-and-play technology offered by BMW i components, as well as their robustness and reliability – as demonstrated in more than 100 000 BMW i units sold worldwide,” says Uwe Breitweg, head of BMW Group Drive Systems for Industry Clients.