In 2021, Turkish company Habas, decided to leverage its 67-year-old experience in manufacturing to enter the bus market. The progress has been very rapid, with the company exhibiting four monocoque buses at Busworld Europe.
The COMFORTCITY e/Electric is a 12 metre super-low floor city bus featuring 353kW power, in a lightweight structure. The bus can accommodate as many as 106 passengers.
The ALFACITY -e/Electric 8.2 metre Super low floor urban midi bus, in three door configuration is powered by 282kW batteries and therefore optimally designed for narrow roads.
The ALFALUX – e/Electric 8.2 midi coach is also powered by 282kW batteries and can carry as many as 35 passengers with large luggage capacity.
While the focus may be on electric buses, Habas is being practical by not neglecting diesel buses. The COMFORTCITY diesel 12 metre full low floor city bus has at its heart a 11-litre 300PS Euro 6E PACCAR engine.
All buses offered by Habas feature good design, LED daytime running lights, a modern digital and ergonomic instrument panel, a sporty steering wheel with adjustable height and depth, comfortable driver’s seat with lumbar support, armrests and a high hood, powerful air-conditioning. Intarders and hill holder support are standard features on the bus. Rear view mirrors with cameras, driver cabin air conditioning, automatic central lubrication system, passenger information system, passenger counting system, electric roof hatch are optional features.
Habas positions itself at the premium end of the Turkish market and is ambitious in its European foray with a capacity of 1,500 buses.
Rich origins
The foundation of the ‘Hamdi Basaran Topkapi Oxygen Factory’ were laid by Hamdi Basaran in 1956, Habas Industrial and Medical Gases Manufacturing Industry. The company has achieved a number of firsts in the industrial and medical gases, iron and steel, natural gas, energy, LPG, banking and finance, heavy machinery sectors.
To pave the way for its automotive industry foray, Habas acquired Honda Turkey’s manufacturing plant for commercial vehicle production.