Turkish boss challenges Musk in electric-engine trucks

Emre Özpeynirci – ISTANBUL

Murat Ülker, the chairman of Turkey’s Yıldız Holding, has challenged Elon Musk, the chairman of Tesla Inc, over electric engine trucks, saying that food giant Ülker has already been using such technology to deliver goods.

“Elon Musk says Tesla’s new electric engine truck can go from a speed of 0 kilometers per hour to 100 kph in five seconds. A fully loaded truck can go 800 kph on a single charge. Great, but we’ve already been delivering domestic vehicles with electric-engines for years. And we have been delivering happiness,” Ülker said on his Instagram account, referring to an ad motto of the company under Yıldız.

The chairman also shared a video of the company’s electric-engine trucks.

Tesla Inc upstaged its own debut of a heavy-duty electric truck on Nov. 16, when a red Roadster pulled out of the big rig’s trailer. Musk said the new $200,000 sports car would be the fastest production car ever.

The first 1,000 cars will cost $250,000 each, paid upfront in full, with later models starting at $200,000.

BD Otomotiv, which belongs to Turkish businessman Osman Boyner, has converted some diesel-engine Fiat and Renault trucks to electric-engine vehicles for Ülker.

The company sells several brands that have electric-engine models with ranges between 110 and 200 kilometers.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk met in Ankara on Nov. 8 to discuss possible cooperation between Tesla, SpaceX and Turkish firms, as well as electric cars.

The meeting came a few days after Turkey launched a joint venture of five local industrial giants to produce its first domestically-made car on Nov. 2.