Tesla installing first charging station in Türkiye
ISTANBUL
Electric car maker Tesla has launched work to install its first supercharger stations at a motorway service and rest station in the northwestern province of Bolu.
Equipment for charging stations have been delivered to the site and chargers are expected to become operational shortly.
According to Tesla’s website, supercharges will be installed in several locations in Türkiye, including Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Aydın, Balıkesir, Bursa, Edirne, Antalya and Konya.
Tesla plans to enter the Turkish market to introduce its all models by the end of this year.
If the sales maintain their current pace in the coming months, electric vehicle sales may reach around 4,500 units in Türkiye, the Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Association (TEHAD) said in a July report.
In the first six months of 2022, the number of registered electric vehicles increased by 170 percent from a year ago to 2,413, according to TEHAD.
Renault, BMW and Mercedes-Benz dominated the electric car sales in the local market in the first half of this year.
In June alone, electric vehicle sales soared more than 82 percent to 499 units, but still accounted for only 0.8 percent of all car sales.
The prices of some electric vehicle models in the country are expected to decline following a new value-added tax (VAT) regulation.
Parliament passed legislation regarding the VAT levied on electric vehicles.
According to the new regulation, the VAT rate on mid-segment electric vehicles, including domestically developed TOGG’s SUVs, will be around 10 percent.
Presently, there are around 3,500 electric-vehicle charging stations in the country.
The number of plugs to charge electric vehicles is projected to increase to 30,000 in 2025 and to 160,000 by 2030.
