Turkiye’s first-ever EV rolls out ahead of launch in 2023 | Autocar Professional

Togg, Turkiye’s automobile initiative group comprising five Turkish industry giants, is preparing for the official launch of the country’s first-ever home-bred automobile – a battery electric vehicle.

The country’s first native vehicle, an all-electric SUV, rolled off the production line following the inauguration of the Togg Technology Campus on October 29, the Republic Day of Turkiye, attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The official launch of the electric SUV is slated for the first quarter of 2023.

Production of the zero-emissions SUV, which has been designed by Italy’s Pininfarina, a Mahindra Group company, in collaboration with Togg’s design team, has begun at the Togg Gemlik plant in Bursa. The Togg e-SUV had its first public showing at CES 2022 earlier this year.

The Togg C-SUV has two variants – single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD models. As per the company website, the dual-motor Togg e-SUV, which develops 400 hp (294 kW), is claimed to have a range of 500km, 0-100kph time of 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 180kph.

“We seized the opportunity in this era of technological transformation and set out to produce more than a car. We are starting mass production with our first vehicle. When we complete the tests, that is, after about 5 months, Togg’s first smart device C SUV will be on the roads,” said Togg chairman Rifat Hisarcıklıoglu.

The Togg C-SUV is slated to hit the roads in the first quarter of 2023, most probably March 2023, with pre-bookings opening in February. It is understood that the Togg plant will have a manufacturing capacity of 175,000 units per annum. Togg plans to produce electric models – SUV, sedan, hatchback, B-SUV and an MPV – all of them underpinned by the same modular platform.

‘Phygital’ approach to sales
Togg announced its sales strategy and user touchpoints at the inauguration – it plans to direct sales in a hybrid structure with a user-oriented approach for the first time in Türkiye.

“In global competition, those who put the user at the centre are more successful. We will bring our smart devices directly to our users and organise sales directly ourselves. We will serve in a hybrid structure that puts the user at the centre and blends digital and physical experience. Our goal is to provide users with a faster, more effective and more efficient experience. Indeed, even conventional OEMs do not sell their new-generation electric vehicles through dealers. In November, we will launch our first touchpoint in Zorlu Center in İstanbul. By 2023, the number of touchpoints will reach nineteen. Our aftersales touchpoints will be ready at 20 locations in seven regions by the time the pre-order period begins,” said Gurcan Karakas, CEO of Togg.

Blockchain tech application
As part of its USECASE Mobility initiative to expand the functionality of mobility and smart devices to become ‘more than a car’, Togg has been exploring the application of blockchain and related technologies.

The Togg Navigation system will be intermodal, meaning a user can seamlessly complete their journey using different transport solutions. For example, a user parks a Togg smart device at a pre-booked EV charging bay, and takes a reserved e-scooter for the final mile to the café to meet a friend, and they continue the journey together using a ride-hailing service. Togg’s ecosystem aims to enable automatic, fast, secure payments for all those services using blockchain technology and smart contracts. Additionally, the Togg vehicle maintenance and parts replacement history will be included in a report stored on the blockchain, thus creating a secure and reliable second-hand market.

According to Karakas, Togg is working on different digital products as well as smart devices. He said: “We will start announcing our digital products very soon. We focus on strategic areas such as mobility solutions, big data, cyber security, fintech, blockchain, gamification, smart grids and mobility services. Our goal is to offer our users a seamless mobility experience thanks to digital services such as smart living, e-wallet, remote update and smart connectivity.”

He added, “This is a 100 percent national project with us behind the wheel. From the beginning, we have stated that we set out to produce more than a car. At this point, we have managed to build a thriving ecosystem around our smart device. In line with our USECASE Mobility vision, which represents the user-oriented, intelligent, empathetic, connected, autonomous, shared and electric features of our smart device, we have engaged in valuable collaborations to grow the mobility ecosystem and develop new technologies. We started positioning our brand on the world’s most reputable technology platforms. Togg Technology Campus, which is ‘More than a Factory’ with its functions, smart and environmentally friendly features gathered under the same roof, has the cleanest paint shop in Europe. For global competition, we formed teams that bring together the best of our country and the best of the world.”