Turkey’s Electric Car will be BETTER than a TESLA says Turkish minister

Turkey’s fledgling electric car business will make electric cars that are better than anything Tesla builds, says Turkish Science Minister.

Last year we reported that Turkey is working to build its own state-funded electric car business, and that it had bought the rights to the Saab 9-3 Platform from NEVS as a basis for a new range of EVs.

Now, Turkey’s Science, Industry and Technology Minister, Fikri Isik, has been telling Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News just how wonderful their new business is, and what marvels they’re going to achieve.

Isik has declared that the cars Turkey will build will be far superior to anything Tesla make, because they’ll be range-extender cars – so won’t need charging points – and that the cars will be safer than a Tesla too because of their software.

Developed with Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Isik said the electric car business is about far more than just building a new range-extender EV, and that crucial technologies will be built in line with the new project.

He states that the world’s largest battery manufacturers have already offered a joint production deal, that Bosch are built in to the project’s framework and that the 1.0 litre, two-cylinder range-extender engine will be in production in Turkey by 2018.

Isik realises production of their new car will be a challenge, and that although TUBITAK will develop the technologies and prototypes, they will need a manufacturing partner to make production possible. According to Isik, Fiat are in the frame for that.

It’s a bold set of claims from a Turkish government minister clearly fired up by the possibilities (Isik also claims they will be able to compete with Google and Tesla with EVs and driverless cars) and if just a part of what he is telling us is right it will mean big changes for the Turkish economy.

Let’s hope, for Fikri Isik’s sake, he’s not got too carried away with all the excitement.