Interest in electric and hybrid vehicles in Turkey is increasing day by day. Electric car sales in the Turkish automobile market showed a remarkable increase of 465 percent on an annual basis in the first six months of 2023. Ford Turkey Business Area Leader Özgür Yücetürk talked about the latest situation of the electric vehicle industry and Ford's work to Platin readers.
> Together, we witness the rise of electric vehicles in markets such as China, America and Europe. How do you evaluate the electric vehicle market in our country?
Electric vehicles are leading a historic transformation in the global vehicle manufacturing industry. Electric vehicles have become one of the driving forces of the rapidly growing 'new energy economy' in the world. According to a recent study1 global electric vehicle sales increased by 24 percent in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same quarter last year. However, all data reveal that this increase has not reached the astronomical figures in recent years. The end of subsidies in China, which dominated all sales, was effective in this.
When we look at Turkey, we see a 251 percent growth in battery electric vehicle sales in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period of the previous year. The interest in electric and hybrid vehicles is increasing rapidly in Turkey, and we follow the global sales figures with a difference of a few years.
Question marks in the minds of customers in the transition to electric vehicles; in terms of cost of ownership, range and charging infrastructure, battery safety, vehicle longevity or second hand value. This demand will be strengthened with the establishment of the charging infrastructure, incentives and after-sales services. Also, you know that Turkey ratified the Paris Climate Agreement in 2021 and pointed to 2053 as the date when it will reach net zero emissions. Therefore, we foresee that the transformation process in our country will accelerate.
Ford is developing new strategies to lead the global transformation of the automotive industry. It clarified its ten-year strategy in Europe, mainly on electric vehicles, mobility and connectivity. Together with its brand vision, 'Bring on Tomorrow' makes electrification affordable and accessible not only to a privileged audience, but also to all consumers and builds it to reach all customers. Considering these developments and the consumer trend in Turkey; Parallel to Ford's strategy, we, as Ford Otosan, continue our efforts to take a leading role in the transformation of the automotive industry.
As the leading power and technology leader of the Turkish automotive industry; We have set ourselves a mission to lead the transformation into electric, connected and autonomous vehicles. In this context, we introduced Ford's first fully electric commercial vehicle in the European and Turkish markets, the E-Transit, to consumers in 2022. Right after, we announced that we would produce the fully electric versions of Transit Custom, Europe's most preferred commercial vehicle for many years, and our Courier model, which was developed by Ford Otosan engineers. While our electrification journey continues to include Ford's best-selling passenger vehicles such as Puma, as well as heavy commercial vehicles by Ford Trucks, we are also preparing our production facilities for the future. One of the most concrete examples of this is our Kocaeli factory.
On the other hand, we play a significant role in the Ford world regarding new generation vehicles. As the demand for SUV models in the passenger car segment continues to increase, we quickly responded to the needs of our customers and offered the Ford Kuga plug-in hybrid model for sale in Turkey. Building on this success, we introduced the newest member of our SUV family, the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E, to our customers in Turkey. Another highly anticipated brand new model, the Explorer, will be launched in our market in 2024. We are determined to continue our mission of leading the electric revolution of the automotive world by making our claim in passenger cars together with our new models.
> What technological developments or innovations can we see in future electric vehicle models?
With the ongoing developments in battery technology, electric vehicles will reach even higher range capacity. This will alleviate concerns over range anxiety and make electric vehicles more applicable to a variety of driving needs, enabling longer trips on a single charge.
The charging infrastructure developed in parallel with this will also bring faster charging times for electric vehicles. High-power chargers and ultra-fast charging networks will significantly reduce the time required for charging and increase convenience, especially for drivers on long journeys. Charging infrastructure will expand to include rural and remote areas, housing estates or places where people spend extended periods of time, such as public parking lots and shopping malls, to support the growing number of EVs.
Electric vehicles already offer impressive acceleration and torque, but future models may push those limits even further. Advances in electric motor technology and power electronics will deliver even more exciting driving experiences with enhanced performance and responsiveness.
Batteries that use solid electrolytes instead of liquids (solid-state batteries) have great potential to revolutionize electric vehicles. As this battery technology matures, electric vehicles will have longer ranges, shorter charge times and overall improved performance.
Vehicle-to-grid (vehicle-to-grid/V2G) integration is among the developments that will enable electric vehicles to become integral components of the energy ecosystem. Future models may feature bidirectional charging, allowing them to not only consume electricity but also supply power back to the grid when needed. This technology; It will stabilize the electricity grid, facilitate renewable energy integration and potentially encourage electric vehicle owners.
Electric vehicles are already benefiting from increased connectivity and autonomous driving technologies at various levels. Today's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), such as blind spot detection, parking assist, collision warning, pave the way for more autonomous capabilities. Further autonomous features will be seamlessly incorporated into future models, improving safety, comfort and the overall driving experience.
Digital Technologies
Sustainability is as important as digital technologies... The use of recycled or renewable materials and more environmentally friendly production processes will make a big difference. For example, composite materials can be used not only to reduce the weight of a vehicle, but also to make it more sustainable. At the same time, renewable energy integration will be an important focus for electric vehicles. Future models could integrate solar panels, regenerative braking systems and other innovative technologies to take advantage of renewable energy sources. This will further reduce reliance on fossil fuels and promote sustainable transportation.
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