ISTANBUL
It is "not difficult or insane" to produce a domestic car, Turkish businessman Ethem Sancak said on Sunday, adding that Turkey is indeed late to manufacture its own car.
“Take a look at Far Eastern countries. Every one of them produces their domestic cars. European countries do, as well. Some say it is difficult for Turkey. Why so? Turkey had produced its own airplane at 1936 and even received orders from the U.K.,” Sancak, who bought Turkish company BMC, the manufacturer of armored vehicles, trucks and buses last April, told at a meeting organized by the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, MUSIAD.
Turkey attempted to produce its first domestic car in 1961, called the "Devrim" (Revolution). The production of Devrim cars was halted after the first four prototypes. Since then, Turkey has not made any significant attempt at reestablishing a Turkish automobile brand.
The country eyes the electric car. Production of such a vehicle would indeed appear opportune in energy-hungry Turkey as the country seeks to diminish its fuel costs, narrow its foreign trade deficit and reduce carbon emissions for a cleaner environment.
Last October, the industry and technology minister, Fikri Isik, pointed to electric automobile technology as a "new window of opportunity" since Turkey had "missed the train" of combustion motorized cars.
Isik has set 2020 as the year for the advent of a ready-to-market electric car.
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