Domestically made Ford Otosan truck wins International Truck of the Year award

The IAA Commercial Vehicles, one of the largest trade fairs in Europe, began in Hannover, Germany yesterday.

A number of Turkish companies are participating in this year's event, which will focus on electric, hybrid and alternative fuel-driven autonomous commercial vehicles.

Industry leaders from around the world will be unveiling their latest trucks, tractors, buses, minibusses and vans at the event. It will end on Sept. 27. Local and foreign manufacturers in Turkey, including Ford, Mercedes, BMC, Otokar, Temsa, Karsan, and Anatolia Isuzu, all attracted a great deal of interest at the fair. This year saw a landmark achievement for the Turkish automotive industry after Ford's new F-Max truck, which is 90 percent made in Turkey, won the International Truck of the Year 2019 Award.

BMC, one of Turkey's biggest commercial and military vehicle manufacturers, was also back on the road with its new truck family TUĞRA. The new vehicle line was unveiled at the IAA Commercial Vehicles.

Turkish giant TEMSA is also participating in the fair. TEMSA has exported nearly 15,000 vehicles that were fully developed by Turkish engineers to some 66 countries so far. The company is participating with three of its popular vehicles, Maraton, MD9 and the

electric bus, Avenue Electron.

Another Turkish giant, Karsan, is at the fair with four different models. It unveiled the Atak Electric and Star School Bus. Karsan's Jest Electric, which was improved in collaboration with BMW was also exhibited for the first time at the fair. It also showcased Jestronic, an automatic-geared version of the Jest.

Anadolu Isuzu demonstrated five new vehicles at the fair - Citiport 18, Citiport 12 HyPer, Novociti Life Premium, Visigo HyPer, Turquoise and Turkey's first 100 percent electric truck.

Ford Trucks unveiled its new F-MAX model at the fair. It won the much-anticipated International Truck of the Year Award. Ford Otosan Chairman Ali Koç, who is also the vice chairman of one of Turkey's largest conglomerates, Koç Holding, said Ford Otosan started its truck business in 1959.

"Today, we are proud to be the first Turkish company to have the ability to develop and produce a vehicle, including the engine. With F-MAX, we present the world with Turkey's first ever tow truck developed and produced from scratch," Koç said.

"The International Truck of the Year award showcases the point our production and engineering capabilities have reached. Our tow truck is ready to enter the international market," he said.

He noted that today they operate in 33 countries and plans to increase that number to 41 in 2018 and 51 by 2020.

"Since 2015, we have invested more than $400 million in Ford Trucks. In 2017, our sales in the international markets by increased by 50 percent," Koç said.

"F-MAX will accelerate our growth internationally. We want to export one of every three vehicles produced in Turkey and realize around 50 percent of our exports in the European markets."

Otokar, a subsidiary of Koç Holding, also participated in the fair with its highly acclaimed range of buses that run on the streets of countries like Italy, Germany, Jordan and Malta.

It made an appearance at the fair with its intercity bus KENT that stands out with its design, technology, durability and ergonomics. It also showcased its 10-meter tourist bus, the new Doruk T, which has already been sold to Italy, France, Belgium, Spain and Sweden.

The Daimler Truck Group unveiled the new Actros, world's first with a camera system instead of exterior mirrors, and all-electric eActros. The renewed Actros' long road tests were carried out at Mercedes-Benz Türk Aksaray Truck Factory and all approvals are given here.

Launching the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro, the Daimler Bus Group also presented the new Tourismo and Setra TopClass S531 DT models.

Manufactured at the Hoşdere Bus Factory and exported around the world, Mercedes-Benz Tourismo RHD and Intouro buses were put on display for the first time at the fair.

Mercedes-Benz Light Commercial Vehicles Group introduced innovations in the field of transportation with the new Sprinter, fully electric eSprinter and eVito solutions. It also showed a glimpse of the future of commercial vehicles with its Vision URBANETIC concept vehicle.