Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım announced on Sunday that the prototype of the country's first domestic automobile would be ready by 2019, with sales to follow within two years.

Speaking at the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK) Party's provincial congress in western Bursa province, Yıldırım said mass production of the automobile would begin by the end of 2021.

"As a government, we will increase our production capacity, our competitiveness, and our research and development capacity. We will accelerate technology transfer to produce more domestic and national products," Yıldırım said.

Citing record growth in Turkey's economy during 2017, Yıldırım noted, "Even at a time when the world's most powerful economies are in crisis, Turkey continues to grow and develop."

"In 2019, we will continue to strive to give our country and nation what it deserves," he added.

The domestic car, which will have a battery that can be filled in five to six hours, will have a battery cost of TL 2 ($0.53) per 100 kilometers. The vehicle is also planned to have an autopilot feature, according to the chairman of leading automotive supply firm Anadolu Group, Tuncay Özilhan. He said in early February that a profile of the car would be revealed in a few months.

Turkey's government first announced the launch of the domestic automobile in May 2017, after repeated calls from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a joint venture car project by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and the Science, Industry and Technology Ministry.

Last November, Erdoğan announced that a consortium of Anadolu Group, BMC, Kıraça Holding, Turkcell and Zorlu Holding would decide on the class, design, engine technology, model, production method and market targets for the car.