The first national electric locomotive, E1000, which will turn Turkey into one of the world's leading countries in the railway vehicle sector, will hit the rails today with a ceremony that will take place in Eskişehir.

The E1000, which has been developed by the Marmara Research Center of Scientific and Technological Research Center of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) and Türkiye Lokomotif ve Motor Sanayi A.Ş. (TÜLOMSAŞ), was made by using only local technologies produced within the last four years. Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Işık and National Education Nabi Avcı will attend the ceremony at the Eskişehir Turkish State Railways (TCDD) Hasanbey Logistics Center.

With this project, supported by TÜBİTAK and 18 scientists, Turkey will become both the designer and producer of CER converters, CER control units, train controls and management systems, which are only owned by the world's developed countries and are some of the components with the highest added value in the rail vehicle sector. The E1000 is equipped with systems that will meet the maneuvering and short-distance cargo transport requirements of the TCDD and will be completely produced locally. The E1000 is one of the leading products in the sector with a modern drive system with a 1 megawatt CER system. The Ministry of Transportation, Maritime and Communication has set a target of being able to design, manufacture and sell locomotives manufactured completely locally with no dependence on foreign countries by 2023. The E1000 is expected to increase exports and also help decrease the current account deficiency, plus being a leading product in the manufacture of high-power main line locomotives, high-speed trains and urban railway vehicles.