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The town will launch a pilot program this month to test a compact electric microbus, exploring whether the technology could potentially serve local transportation needs.
Three Council on Aging drivers received training last week on the so-called Damera e-JEST, a 19-foot electric vehicle to operate on Marblehead streets for a four-to-six-week demonstration.
“We’ll see how it goes.” said Council on Aging Executive Director Lisa Hooper.
The e-JEST, manufactured by Turkish company Karsan and distributed by Damera Corporation, has earned attention for its distinctive appearance. “It’s an eye catcher. It’s a cute bus,” Duplak said during a phone interview with the Independent.
What makes the vehicle unique goes beyond aesthetics. “The key differentiator is that it has electric battery, BMW power train,” said Roman Duplak, vice president of America sales for Damera. “We also have a low floor structure.”
The microbus seats 10 passengers, requires no commercial driver’s license and features just a 10-inch step height for accessibility. Its independent suspension system provides a smoother ride compared to traditional cutaway buses built on truck chassis.
The vehicle’s electric powertrain generates 135 kilowatts (approximately 84 horsepower) with a top speed of 65 mph, according to manufacturer specifications. Its regenerative braking system extends range by recovering energy when slowing down.
“Because it has regenerative braking, the e-JEST recharges its battery during frequent stops,” Duplak explained. “On a typical stop-and-go transit route, the range is about 180 miles. Without frequent stops, the range drops to roughly 130 miles.”
Hooper said the COA is limiting the current test to in-town driving due to charging infrastructure constraints.
Logan Casey, the town’s sustainability coordinator, approached the COA about testing the vehicle.
“This is opportunity to test it out and show it off,” Casey said, noting that fuel and maintenance costs would decrease with an electric vehicle.
The pilot comes at a critical time for the COA’s transportation program. Marblehead’s noncompliance with the MBTA Communities Act, which requires certain municipalities to zone for multifamily housing, has blocked the COA from applying for Massachusetts Department of Transportation grants that have traditionally funded its vehicle fleet.
“I can’t purchase anything in the future until (the MBTA zoning) is resolved,” Hooper said, referring to the MBTA Communities Act compliance issue.
The COA currently operates four vehicles: two vans from 2024, one from 2018, and one donated by the Friends of the Marblehead Council on Aging. Three were purchased through MassDOT’s Section 5310 program, which covers 80% of vehicle replacement costs for transportation serving elderly individuals and people with disabilities.
In 2024, the COA provided 5,115 rides to 215 individuals, down from over 7,000 rides annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. The service focuses primarily on medical and dental transportation within Marblehead and to surrounding communities including Beverly, Danvers, Peabody and Salem.
The e-JEST has been deployed across North America, with Damera reporting 121 vehicles in operation, 70 of them in the United States. “The biggest customers are focused around Boston, Massachusetts, California and Minnesota, as well as University of Virginia and Rice University,” Duplak noted.
The vehicle is designed for a 12-to-15-year service life, significantly longer than traditional cutaway shuttle buses. “These are the various benefits of our bus compared to what’s market, and it’s gonna, it would, it would, over the time, kind of pay for itself,” Duplak said.
Despite potential long-term cost advantages, Hooper expressed practical concerns about using electric vehicles for the COA’s medical transport services. “Electric vehicles charge for so much time… and then the extreme heat, the extreme cold, and putting one of our dispatch radios in there deplete the battery.”
Residents can view and test-ride the bus Nov. 18 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Judy and Gene Community Center, 10 Humphrey St.
