Turkey’s first national car brand to be electric, says minister

FRANFURT - Anadolu Agency

DHA Photo

As Turkey bids to create its first national automobile brand, Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Işık has said the current plan is to make the car electric.

Speaking late on Oct. 21, Işık said “concrete steps” would be taken on the project in the near future.

“Let me say that Turkey has missed the train for the classic internal combustion motor technology. We do not see a chance for sustainable competition there. But electric cars present a new window of opportunity,” he said.

“We are trying to create a national car brand and we will take concrete steps soon. Turkey will have a car brand but it will not use internal combustion technology. It will be a long-range electric car,” Işık added.

Turkey’s project to create a national car brand was first announced in 2011 and several local and international companies are believed to be interested.