Turkey has seen a rapid increase in the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points, with over 8,800 charging points across the country, according to Mustafa Yılmaz, the head of Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK). This surge in charging points can largely be attributed to the growing demand for Turkey’s first domestically-produced fully electric car, Togg.
Turkey now ranks first in Europe in terms of direct current (DC) charging points per vehicle, with approximately one fast charging point for every 14 vehicles. Between January and August of this year, nearly 22,900 EVs were sold in Turkey, marking a staggering 597% increase compared to the same period last year when only 3,283 electric cars were sold.
The Togg, Turkey’s first domestic automaker, delivered 3,400 units of its T10X model as of the end of August, with 1,965 of those deliveries taking place in the last month alone. Yılmaz confirmed that Turkey now has 6,633 slow charging (alternating current or AC) points and 2,228 DC charging points located at 4,221 charging stations across the country. The number of charging stations continues to rise rapidly in all 81 provinces.
To further support electric vehicle owners, the EPDK has developed a mobile application called “Şarj@TR.” This app provides real-time information about the locations of charging stations, types of charging units, payment methods, availability status, and charging service prices. Yılmaz recommended this app as a useful tool for all-electric vehicle owners.
The EPDK has also introduced regulations to facilitate the lives of electric vehicle owners. Charge point operators can now designate their charging points as green charging stations if all the electricity supplied to those stations comes from renewable energy sources. Yılmaz emphasized the significance of these green charging stations, stating that integrated electric storage facilities can be established within them to meet the electricity needs of charging stations using renewable energy sources.
The EPDK hopes that the electric vehicle industry will continue to invest in the development of green charging stations and expand the use of renewable energy in the country’s EV charging infrastructure.
Sources:
– Mustafa Yılmaz, Head of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK)
– Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD)
– Anadolu Agency