It may seem unexpected coming from me, a lawyer who primarily writes in the field of international law and international relations, to dwell on automobiles, yet the roots of such interest stretch way back. Actually, some 25 years ago, during the early efforts to bring Formula 1 – the highest class of worldwide motor racing – to Türkiye, a group of young enthusiasts, including myself, lobbied to open doors for Istanbul to host its first Grand Prix. Within that same circle, we launched one of Türkiye’s earliest digital platforms on motorsports, a publication that continues today under an international brand. Our voluntary engagement led us into the European headquarters of leading automotive manufacturers and we became the first media figures admitted into their factories, exchanging views on technology and standards.
As someone who once actively engaged in motorsports, let me reiterate. What sets my commentaries on different subjects apart and what explains why I turn to this topic today is the genuine excitement I felt at the remarkable success of Togg, Türkiye’s first national electric vehicle (EV). It has passed the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) tests not only successfully, but at a level that may well be described as the very peak of achievement.
The Togg T10F and T10X did not simply pass European tests – they excelled. Euro NCAP awarded both models the maximum five stars. The T10F achieved 95% for Adult Occupant protection, while the T10X scored 94%. Each received 85% for Child Occupant safety, along with strong results for Vulnerable Road Users and Safety Assist. These are not dry figures; they represent steel and software working together when it matters most.
Some ask whether such results are merely normal for 2025. In fact, Euro NCAP tightens protocols each year. A car that earned five stars in 2023 might struggle to meet today’s standards. Yet the T10X, first sold in 2023, without a structural change since then, still secured five stars, with a very high Adult Occupant score. Simply put, this is not the car one would wish to collide with.
Türkiye’s search for a national car is not new. In 1961, a prototype called Devrim (Revolution) was built in Eskişehir in just 130 days by a group of 24 engineers. Four cars were completed, two of which joined the Republic Day ceremonies. Contrary to the myth of stalling after 100 meters, the runs were finished without issue once fuel was addressed. The project did not continue. Economic challenges, low demand, and decisions made by certain financial interests aligned with international partners led to the shelving of an ambitious beginning. Today, Togg’s five-star debut can be read as a continuation of that vision, a return to the path once abandoned.
Euro NCAP’s wider snapshot adds perspective. In this round, 16 new models were tested across passive protection and driver assistance. Most earned five stars. A few models scored four: one hatchback was penalized for inadequate chest and leg protection, a pair of SUVs lost points for insufficient driver chest protection and marginal rear head results, and another model lost marks in the Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories. At the top end, a newcomer in the small EV class posted a 96% Adult Protection score, the highest since early 2024. Two others, although five-star overall, nearly lost their final star due to poor pelvis protection for pedestrians. The lesson is clear: standards are unforgiving and the bar keeps moving.
Within this field, Togg’s consistency stands out, placing the T10F and T10X among the current high performers. This is not an isolated test win; it is a passport into Europe’s most demanding conversation on safety.
There is also an industrial story. Türkiye has long produced vehicles for global brands, more than a million units each year. Togg turns the lens around. Based near Istanbul, the company plans a family of EVs and has set an export goal of 1 million units by 2030. Its first models carry the touch of respected designers, while the wider project presents itself as a technology platform linking vehicles to homes, cities and services. Once this ecosystem matures, Türkiye’s place in Europe’s mobility network will move beyond assembly lines to integration by design.
Memories may return to the first Formula 1 race in Istanbul, once thought impossible until engines proved otherwise. That story belongs to the past, though talks continue for Formula 1 to return to Türkiye, possibly not before 2027. The meaning endures: what once seemed beyond reach can be achieved. Today, the quiet applause of Euro NCAP carries the same tone. A door opens; it will not open twice. Togg steps through as a peer, not a pupil. The rest will be written on the roads of Europe, where the hum of an electric motor from a Turkish electric car joins the daily music of traffic. Perhaps, in Berlin or Paris, a child will ride in such a car and not know the history beneath their seat, only that they were kept safe and that a long-held idea finally found its way.
