Porsche, which was the first car brand that established an electric vehicle charging network for electric cars in Turkey, plans to further widen its network with increasing investment through the end of this year, according to a statement from the company.
A total of 100 charging stations have been installed so far across Turkey with an investment of TL 7.8 million ($930,000). This amount is expected to reach TL 10 million by the end of 2021, making the number of charging stations 190 units.
Porsche, a market leader in electric car sales in the country, according to the 2020-end data, put its first fully electric sports auto Taycan on the Turkish market last year and has been widening the electric charging network since then.
Selim Eskinazi, Porsche sales and marketing manager, whose views were included in the company statement, said they contribute greatly to Turkey’s electric car ecosystem with the investments made by Porsche Turkey.
"In 2020, we completed the installation of 100 charging units nationwide, including three 350 KW- stations, which are Turkey’s fastest charging stations, for our customers and all electric car users," he said.
He noted that Porsche became the first automobile brand that has an electric charging network in Turkey and also becoming the fourth largest charging operator.
Saying they will continue with their investments based on the electromobility theme throughout 2021, Eskinazi, stressed that the number of the units will reach 117 at the end of April and 190 at the end of this year.
The company official also said that the battery of Taycan can reach 80% from 0% in just 22.5 minutes with the 350 KW and 320 KW charging stations they installed in the Porsche Experience Center in Istanbul, underlining that they have carried out a total of 335 inspections and made evaluations to install charging units in customers’ houses and workplaces.
Eskinazi said that they completed training investments as part of the inauguration of Turkey’s first battery repairment center, which will not only serve Turkey but many countries like Porsche Eastern Europe to enable after-sales services in all Porsche dealers.
"In 2021, we will continue our investment processes to establish a battery repair center in another Porsche center," he added, besides the existing one in Turkey.
Not only have electric car sales in Turkey been increasing, but the investments regarding the market have also seen a growing interest.
Ford Otosan, a joint venture of Koç Holding, Turkey’s largest conglomerate, and U.S. automotive giant Ford announced on March 16 that it will be making a 2 billion euro (nearly $2.4 billion) investment to manufacture new-generation commercial vehicles and batteries at its factory in Turkey.
The investment will make the carmaker’s factory in the industrial Kocaeli province Turkey’s first and only electric vehicle integrated production facility that will also manufacture batteries.
The investment in the electric vehicle production facility will be the second of its kind in Turkey after Automobile Joint Venture Group (TOGG), the first fully domestic electric car.