Automotiv Exports July 2022

1

Monthly automotive aftermarket magazine 

GROUP CHAIRMAN 

H. FERRUH ISIK 

PUBLISHER: 

İstmag Magazin Gazetecilik 

İç ve Dış Ticaret Ltd. Şti. 

Managing Editor (Responsible) 

Mehmet Söztutan 

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Editor 

Ali Erdem 

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EDİToR 

Mehmet Soztutan, Editor-in-Chief 

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Advertising Managers 

Adem Saçın 

+90 505 577 36 42 

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Enes Karadayı 

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International Marketing Coordinator 

Ayca Sarioglu 

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Editor 

Yusuf Okçu 

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Finance Manager 

Cuma Karaman 

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Digital Assets Manager 

Emre Yener 

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Technical Manager 

Tayfun Aydın 

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Design & Graphics 

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Accountant 

Yusuf Demirkazık 

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Subsciption 

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Innovative and competitive… 

Turkey’s automotive production and exports recorded a strong rebound this year, data 

showed, following a drop due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

As noted earlier in this column, the exports by Turkish automotive sector have reached 

remarkable figures in the last decade. The automotive industry has been active since the 

early seventies. Since the full integration to the European Customs Union in 1994, Turkey has 

become a major production platform for global automotive manufacturers. 

The industry with its large capacity, wide variety of production and high standards, supports 

automotive industry production and the vehicles in Turkey and also has ample potential for 

additional exports. 

The leading foreign automotive parts manufacturers have established their presence in the 

country through joint-ventures. There has also been substantial locally-owned investments by 

spare parts manufacturers. 

As for the Turkish automotive industry, we can say that: 

- Quality of production improved dramatically, especially through the establishment of quality 

management systems. 

- The industry has adapted to the EU regulations and has established an efficient and 

exemplary cooperation with public institutions in the transformation of the EU regulations to 

national regulations. 

- Exports have risen sharply, and Turkish production has been integrated into manufacturers’ 

global planning. 

-The export potential of the automotive parts sector, coupled with the presence of major 

international automotive manufacturers, has attracted an increasing number of foreign 

investors. 

Key factors which attract foreign capital inflows to Turkey mainly include the market size, 

consumer composition, friendly investment legislation and banking system together 

with other attractiveness arising from highly skilled human resources in production and 

management, the unsaturated domestic market with high potential, easy access to 

neighboring (regional) emerging markets, and low labor cost. 

The industry exhibit its full potential in major specialized fairs both at home and abroad. This 

month, we participate in EQUIP AUTO ALGERIA 2022, International Trade Show for 

Automotive Aftersales and Services for Mobilility. We are convinced that the event 

would turn out to be an ideal ground for the business people operating in the automotive 

business. 

Our publications remain at the service of those businesses people seeking to increase their 

share in the increasingly competitive foreign markets. 

We wish them lucrative trade. 

automotiveexport 

automotiveexports

Mercedes recalling about 1 million older 

cars over faulty brake fears 

German carmaker Mercedes-Benz is 

recalling almost a million older vehicles 

from around the world due to possible 

problems with the brake booster, the 

company said. 

The recall affects models of the SUV series 

ML and GL (BR 164) and the R-Class (BR 

251) luxury minivan produced between 

2004 and 2015, it said. 

The German federal transport authority 

(KBA) had also confirmed the recall, which 

it said covers 993,407 vehicles worldwide, 

including around 70,000 in Germany. 

“We have found that in some of those 

vehicles, the function of the brake booster 

could be affected by advanced corrosion in 

the joint area of the housing,” Mercedes- 

Benz said in a statement. 

This could result in an increase in the brake 

pedal force needed to decelerate the 

vehicle and/or to a potentially increased 

stopping distance, it added. 

The KBA said that “corrosion on the brake 

booster can in the worst case lead to the 

connection between the brake pedal and 

the braking system being interrupted.” 

“As a consequence, the service brake can 

stop functioning,” it noted. 

The move was based on an “analysis of 

isolated reports for certain vehicles,” 

Mercedes-Benz said in a statement to 

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 

“In rare cases of very severe corrosion, 

it might be possible for a particularly 

strong or hard braking maneuver to cause 

mechanical damage to the brake booster, 

whereby the connection between the 

brake pedal and brake system would fail,” 

the statement read. 

“In such a very rare case, it would not be 

possible to decelerate the vehicle via the 

service brake. Thus, the risk of a crash or 

injury would be increased.” 

The company said it would “start with 

the recall immediately” and contact 

the owners of the “potentially affected 

vehicles.” 

“The recall process will involve 

inspecting potentially affected vehicles 

and, depending on the results of the 

inspection, replacing the parts where 

necessary,” the company said. 

“Until the inspection takes place, we ask 

our customers not to drive their vehicles.” 

JULY 2022 8

Automechanika Istanbul 2022 held 

48.354 professionals from 141 countries visited the trade fair 

Automechanika Istanbul 2022, the leading 

international automotive industry trade 

fair of the region covering from North 

Africa to Eastern Europe, in addition to 

Türkiye and neighboring countries, held 

between 2-5 June at Istanbul TÜYAP Fair 

and Congress Center in co-operation with 

Messe Frankfurt Istanbul and Hannover 

Fairs Turkey has closed its doors. 

The record-breaking 2022 edition of 

Automechanika Istanbul brought the 

Turkish automotive aftermarket sector 

of a size of more than 30 billion USD 

in Turkey’s exports with professionals 

from all over the world together once 

again in Istanbul. The 15th edition of 

Automechanika Istanbul 2022 hosted 

825 companies across 12 halls consisting 

mostly of manufacturers and welcomed 

34.552 domestic and 13.802 international 

buyers adding up to a total of 48.354 

trade visitors from 141 countries. 

Specially-designed Automechanika 

Istanbul Digital Platform was accessed by 

users worldwide with a %32 of increase 

compared to the last edition. 

Along with the country pavilions of 

Germany, Korea, Morocco, Pakistan, 

Poland, India and China, 170 international 

and 655 domestic exhibitors came 

together with professionals from overseas 

regions as well as countries closer to 

Turkey. Within the scope of the buyer 

delegation program organized by the 

Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade in 

cooperation with Automotive Exporters’ 

Association, international high-volume 

buyers had the opportunity to hold B2B 

meetings with exhibitiors registered in the 

program during the fair. 

A great interest was shown for the themes 

and events during the show 

The most comprehensive event program 

ever in all editions of Automechanika 

Istanbul from the past to the present 

attracted hundreds of audience at 

the fairground and online where the 

experts of the automotive community 

shared their comments and the latest 

developments on the e-mobility 

technologies of the future in the 

Automechanika Academy program 

powered by Castrol. Those who wanted 

to take a closer look at popular electric 

vehicles and get detailed information 

about charging stations showed 

great interest in the E-mobility Area. 

The International Bodyshop Industry 

Symposium (IBIS) conveyed latest 

developments and educational content for 

the repair and maintenance professionals 

with sessions that continued throughout 

the fair. Participants were able to watch 

the clash of talented and experienced car 

care professionals live at Automechanika 

Istanbul 2022. The winners of contests in 

3 categories taking part during all show 

days were awarded with a ceremony at 

the Automechanika Academy stage. The 

7th Edition of OSS (Turkish Automotive 

Aftermarket Association) Conference took 

place and hosted Arnd Franz, LKQ CEO who 

is one of the most important figures of the 

global automotive aftermarket industry. 

The next Automechanika Istanbul will take 

place in Istanbul TÜYAP Fair and Congress 

Center in 2023. 


Electric cars 

offer Turkish 

motorists 

cheaper, 

affordable 

alternative 

Motorists in Turkey are increasingly turning 

to electric vehicles as driving a car has 

become more costly due to higher gasoline 

prices. 

Gasoline prices nearly doubled in the past 

year in Turkey, which means car owners 

need to allocate a larger portion of their 

income to commute. 

The monthly gasoline cost of a car, which 

travels some 500 kilometers on the roads 

of the city, is now some 3,660 Turkish Liras 

(around $247) on average, whereas an 

owner of an electric car pays 756 liras to 

cover energy cost of the vehicle. 

There are presently around 4,000 charging 

stations across Turkey, and 1,500 of them 

are privately owned. The demand for 

setting up such stations at homes or offices 

has been growing in the last months amid 

the rising gasoline prices. 

The range of an electric car with a 60kWh 

battery is around 350 kilometers. It is 

calculated that if a car used in city traffic 

travels some 2,000 kilometers that means 

a monthly power consumption of 400 kWh. 

If the car is charged at a station installed at 

a house, the cost of the electricity is 1.89 

liras/kWh (based on the current electricity 

prices), which totals to 756 liras a month. 

If a charging station, which is installed 

at businesses, is used, the cost increases 

slightly to around 1,100 liras since 

businesses pay 2.74 liras per kilowatts 

hour of electricity.The network of charging 

stations operated by private companies 

on the intercity highways and in the cities 

is also expanding fast. The charging fees 

at those stations are two to three times 

higher than the stations at houses because 

of the costs associated with running such 

facilities. 

To have a charging station installed at a 

detached house costs around 17,000 liras, 

while the price of a station that serves up 

to four car owners is around 70,000 liras, 

according to experts from Zorlu Energy 

Solutions (ZES). 

The latest automotive sales data reflect 

the growing interest in electric vehicles in 

Turkey. 

In March this year, 638 electric vehicles 

were sold in the country, which pointed 

to a 267 percent increase from a year ago. 

The share of electric cars in total vehicle 

sales was still low at 1.3 percent. In the 

month, hybrid car sales, however, declined 

by 3.4 percent on an annual basis to 6,024 

units, accounting for 12 percent of all 

vehicle sales. 

In 2021, 2,486 electric vehicles were sold 

in Turkey, but in January-March alone this 

year, 1,073 electric cars were already sold 

on the local market, rising 244 percent 

from the first quarter of last year. 

Hybrid car sales fell by 17 percent to 11,227 

units, which made up less than 10 percent 

of all automotive sales. 


First Bizzarrini 

5300 GT Corsa 

Revival Hits the 

Road 

The reborn Bizzarrini brand, founded by 

arguably the most talented automotive 

engineer and designer the world has ever 

seen, has achieved its next significant 

milestone. The first Bizzarrini 5300 GT 

Corsa Revival prototype – the authentic 

recreation of Giotto Bizzarrini’s first car 

under his own name – has taken to the 

road for final endurance testing before first 

customer cars are completed. 

Built at Bizzarrini’s dedicated facility in the 

UK, the 5300 GT Corsa Revival is the most 

authentic interpretation of the 5300 GT 

available. Built using original blueprints, 

utilising materials from original suppliers, 

with the input of experts originally 

involved in the 5300 GT project, some 

key improvements have been added with 

modern safety regulations in mind. The 

original car’s fuel tanks were located deep 

in the sills, as well as behind the driver, 

for example, but now – using advanced 

3D scanning – Bizzarrini engineers have 

created a tank intricately shaped, filling the 

available void in the chassis to tolerances 

and accuracy not available to the original 

designers. The overall fuel capacity is only 

marginally reduced, at 95 litres, keeping 

the range within the requirements of a 

multiple round race series. 

The painstaking dedication to authenticity 

even extends as far as this car’s paintwork. 

There is a long and complex history 

surrounding the colour known as Rosso 

Corsa, with many shades purporting to 

be the original. To ensure the car looked 

exactly as it would have in period, the 

Bizzarrini team tracked down a paint colour 

sample from an original panel, which had 

been hidden from light since it was first 

painted, perfectly preserving Bizzarrini 

Rosso Corsa. This shade was then colourmatched 

for the Revival to create Rosso 

Corsa Bizzarrini 222. 

First developed as a high-performance 

variant of the Bizzarrini-engineered Iso 

Grifo A3C, the 5300 GT Corsa was designed 

by Giorgetto Giugiaro with refinements 

by Piero Drogo of Carrozzeria Sports Cars. 

Incorporating a tried and tested V8 engine, 

the 5300 GT was light, fast and reliable. 

Famed for its performance in the 1965 

Le Mans 24 Hour Race, perhaps the most 

legendary 5300 GT is chassis 0222. 


That summer, French racing drivers Regis 

Fraissinet and Jean de Mortemart took 

the over 5-litre class win at Le Mans, also 

finishing ninth overall. Not only did Chassis 

0222 run the race at an average speed of 

169km/h, Giotto Bizzarrini himself then 

drove the car back home to Northern 

Italy immediately after the race. The 

5300 GT Revival Corsa prototype takes 

livery inspiration from this legendary car, 

encapsulating the spirit of a bygone age of 

high-performance race cars and the genius 

behind them. 

In radically adapting the Corsa for track 

driving, Giotto Bizzarrini fitted bespoke 

independent rear suspension and shifted 

the front-mounted engine as far back in 

the chassis as possible. This revolutionary 

approach to weight distribution proved a 

key advantage against many contemporary 

front-heavy cars. In testing the Revival, 

modern measurements show that each 

corner of the car carries 25% of its overall 

weight, illustrating the visionary genius of 

Giotto Bizzarrini to design a car in 1965 that 

still delivers perfect balance in 2022. 

Each car in the Revival series of 24 vehicles 

will be hand-built, with a lightweight single 

piece composite body, over a steel frame. 

Inside, the two seats are protected by a 

more comprehensive six-point roll bar 

and safety fuel cell, meeting FIA Appendix 

K historic racing regulations. Test drives 

of the Revival revealed a car that feels 

subtly more rigid than original examples. 

Independent rear suspension to Giotto’s 

Corsa specification and all-round disc 

brakes are paired with a period-specific 

5,300 cubic centimeter V8 with Weber 

45 DCOE (Doppio Corpo Orizzontale E) 

carburettors developing between over 400 

horsepower. At just 1250 kg, the Bizzarrini 

5300 GT Revival Corsa has excellent power 

to weight ratio. 

One of Giotto Bizzarrini’s most valuable 

talents was his ability to push the limits of 

contemporary engineering. The original 

5300 GT made extensive use of the 

strongest lightweight material of its day, 

glass fibre. “Had it been available, we 

believe Giotto Bizzarrini would almost 

certainly have deployed carbon fibre in his 

racing cars,” said Richard Quinlan COO of 

Bizzarrini. “As a result, the 5300 GT Revival 

Corsa will be offered with a full carbon fibre 

bodyshell as standard for those customers 

who do not need to conform to Historic 

Racing regulations.” 

The 5300 GT Revival Corsa will be the first 

model to bear the Bizzarrini name for more 

than 15 years. After the completion of 

the development prototype, a total of 24 

customer cars will be built, each offered 

as the most authentic contemporary 

interpretation of the 1965 Le Mans 

class-winner. Designed to be driven, 

each Bizzarrini 5300 GT Revival Corsa 

can be modified to match its customer’s 

exact specifications. “The car is of course 

engineered for racing,” said Richard 

Quinlan “but we will also be able to satisfy 

the desire of any customer who wishes to 

drive this spectacular car on the road.” 

Simon Busby, Bizzarrini CMO said, “We 

have an ambitious long-term vision for the 

Bizzarrini brand, and the 5300GT Corsa 

Revival serves as either an introduction 

or a reminder of the storied heritage of 

Bizzarrini. We were thrilled with the car’s 

performance during endurance testing, 

delivering the same adrenaline-fueled 

driving experience as Giotto Bizzarrini’s 

original design. Now, as we complete 

the process of building the cars for our 

customers throughout the world, we are 

refining the initial engineering and design 

proposals for our modern supercar. 

Utilising the very latest technologies, and 

built with the ethos, passion and values 

of our founding genius, this will truly be a 

Bizzarrini for a new generation.” 

Giotto Bizzarrini is renowned for his work 

in building the famous Lamborghini V12 

engine, first used on Lamborghini’s debut 

model, the 350 GT. The engine proved 

such a compelling design that aspects of 

this engine were used by Lamborghini 

right up until 2010. Giotto also played 

the key role in the development of the 

iconic Ferrari 250 GTO, and in developing 

the advanced aerodynamics for the 

legendary Ferrari 250-based ‘Breadvan’. 

Giotto’s work at Ferrari came to an 

unexpected end, during one of the 

most damaging moments in Ferrari’s 

history, informally known as the ‘Night 

of the Long Knives’ or ‘The Palace 

Revolt’. As the story goes four of 

Ferrari’s top engineers, including Giotto, 

revolted against Enzo Ferrari’s running 

of the business, and the sacking of 

commercial director Girolami Gardini. Il 

Commendatore responded by firing them 

too. For Giotto, it was partly a desire to 

settle the score with Ferrari that led him 

to take his creation to Le Mans in 1965, 

where it won its class. The first customer 

deliveries of the 5300 GT Revival Corsa 

are already scheduled for handover to 

global clients from May 2022. 

JULY 

2022 

18

EV sales break record 

globally, market share 

drastically up 

The market share of electric vehicles 

around the world increased 41 times in the 

last 10 years and reached 8.3%. Last year, 

electric vehicle sales reached 6.75 million, 

up 108% from earlier. 

Within the scope of the goals of combating 

climate change, countries are accelerating 

the conversion to low carbon technologies 

to reduce their fossil fuel consumption. 

While electric vehicles are critical in 

reducing emissions from the transportation 

sector, automobile brands’ investments and 

brand models in this area are increasing 

rapidly. 

The transformation in the electric vehicle 

market is reflected in sales at the same 

pace. Last year, all of the net growth in the 

global vehicle market came from electric 

vehicles. 

Global electric vehicle sales reached 6.75 

million in 2021, an all-time high, with an 

increase of 108% compared to the previous 

year, according to an Anadolu Agency (AA) 

report, which cited data from the EVvolumes.com. 

Electric vehicle sales were 3.24 million in 

2020 despite the pandemic. 

While the market share of electric vehicles 

was 0.2% in 2012, it reached 8.3% with the 

record sales last year. 

Last year also saw the biggest annual 

growth of the last 10 years in electric 

vehicles. China was the country where the 

most electric vehicle sales were recorded 

last year, with 3.4 million. Compared to 

the previous year, sales in China increased 

by 155%, or 2.06 million. While 2.3 million 

electric vehicles were sold in Europe, this 

figure was up by 66% compared to 2020. 

While the U.S. ranks third with 735,000 

electric vehicle sales, some 114,500 electric 

vehicles were sold in South Korea. 

Electric vehicle sales in Israel, Australia, 

India and Japan were over 10,000. 

Meanwhile, according to the International 

Energy Agency (IEA) data, 130,000 electric 

vehicles were sold throughout the year in 

2012, while this figure was reached in a 

week in 2021. 

After last year’s sales, the total number of 

electric vehicles in the world reached 16 

million. The total electricity consumption 

of electric vehicles in the world will reach 

30 terawatt-hours in 2021. This amount is 

equal to one year’s electricity production in 

Ireland. Tesla ranked first with 936,000 in 

electric vehicle sales last year. The highest 

number of Tesla vehicles were sold in the 

U.S. with 352,000 followed by China with 

321,000 and Europe with 170,000. 

Volkswagen (VW) Group followed Tesla 

with 763,000, BYD with 598,000, GM with 

517,000 and Stellantis with 385,000. 


WirelessCar Expands Connected Vehicle 

Services with New Android Automotive 

OS-based Applications 

WirelessCar, a leading connected car 

services provider, today announced an 

expansion of applications built on the 

Android Automotive Operating System 

(Android Auto OS), paving the way for 

automakers to develop new, truly digital 

services for their customers in a fraction of 

the traditional development time. 

WirelessCar is since this spring featuring 

these new applications globally in cars 

from Polestar, the Sweden-based premium 

electric vehicle manufacturer. WirelessCar 

made the announcement today at 

AutoTech: Detroit, an influential trade show 

hosted by Informa and WardsAuto. 

Currently, automakers are locked into 

long development cycles. It can take 12 

to 24 months in order to bring hardware, 

software and new in-vehicle logic to 

market. Using WirelessCar’s new Android 

Auto OS applications, automakers will be 

able to offer new connected car services 

with little or no lead time and dramatically 

reduced expense. It will also be easier to 

update in-vehicle apps with over-the-air 

updates. 

One of WirelessCar’s new applications, 

Journey Log, collates and tracks details 

about each ride taken in a vehicle, securely 

storing the data in the WirelessCar cloud. 

This application benefits consumers and 

businesses who need to track mileage and 

energy consumption and allows for the 

categorization of trips. The service can also 

be extended for Usage Based Insurance 

(UBI) applications. 

Another new WirelessCar Android Auto OS 

application for larger businesses gathers 

this same kind of trip information for fleets, 

such as rental car companies. Fleet owners 

will be able to monitor the usage and 

availability of fleet vehicles in real time and 

on a system level. For example, they’ll be 

able to get alerts based on the number of 

hours each vehicle is used or when it goes 

out of specified geographical boundaries. 

“Automakers will be one of the big winners 

with WirelessCar’s next-generation 

technology,” said Niklas Florén, CEO 

of WirelessCar. “Car companies using 

WirelessCar’s applications will be able to 

analyze real-world vehicle data that will 

drive better decisions about features and 

engineering.” 

Another advantage for automakers will 

be smoother integration of new apps and 

services, including third-party apps. Any 

data collected in the WirelessCar cloud can 

be anonymized, removing any personally 

identifiable information that would 

compromise consumer privacy. Instead of 

merely maintaining their existing systems 

with a digital veneer, automakers will be able 

to offer truly digital services. 

WirelessCar forecasts that 70 percent of 

automakers will introduce Android Auto 

OS on new models by 2025. WirelessCar is 

already working extensively on Android Auto 

OS, developing new in-vehicle applications to 

connect the latest vehicles with WirelessCar’s 

products and services, which it has designed, 

evolved, and operated for numerous global 

car brands over the past 20 years. By 

leveraging Android Auto OS, WirelessCar will 

bring automakers new ways to interact with 

both their B2C and B2B customers; seamless, 

real-time access to vehicle data; and built-in 

privacy settings. WirelessCar’s solutions 

allow auto companies to maintain full control 

and ownership of the information generated 

by their vehicles. 


Teslas with 

Autopilot a step 

closer to recall 

after wrecks 

Teslas with partially automated driving 

systems are a step closer to being recalled 

after the U.S. elevated its investigation 

into a series of collisions with parked 

emergency vehicles or trucks with warning 

signs. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration said that it is upgrading 

the Tesla probe to an engineering analysis, 

another sign of increased scrutiny of the 

electric vehicle maker and automated 

systems that perform at least some driving 

tasks. 

Documents posted by the agency raise 

some serious issues about Tesla’s Autopilot 

system. The agency found that it’s being 

used in areas where its capabilities are 

limited, and that many drivers aren’t taking 

action to avoid crashes despite warnings 

from the vehicle. 

The probe now covers 830,000 vehicles, 

almost everything that the Austin, Texas, 

carmaker has sold in the U.S. since the start 

of the 2014 model year. 

NHTSA reported that it has found 16 

crashes into emergency vehicles and trucks 

with warning signs, causing 15 injuries and 

one death. 

Investigators will evaluate additional 

data, vehicle performance and “explore 

the degree to which Autopilot and 

associated Tesla systems may exacerbate 

human factors or behavioral safety risks, 

undermining the effectiveness of the 

driver’s supervision,” the agency said. 

A message was left seeking comment from 

Tesla.An engineering analysis is the final 

stage of an investigation, and in most cases 

NHTSA decides within a year if there should 

be a recall or the probe should be closed. 

In the majority of the 16 crashes, the 

Teslas issued collision alerts to the drivers 

just before impact. Automatic emergency 

braking intervened to at least slow the 

cars in about half the cases. On average, 

Autopilot gave up control of the Teslas less 

than a second before the crash, NHTSA said 

in documents detailing the probe. 

NHTSA also said it’s looking into crashes 

involving similar patterns that did not 

include emergency vehicles or trucks with 

warning signs. 

Automotive production rises 26 percent in 

May 

Local carmakers produced nearly 104,000 

vehicles in May, marking a 25.5 percent 

increase from a year ago, the Automotive 

Manufacturers’ Association (OSD) said. 

That followed the 3.2 percent increase 

recorded in the previous month. The 

increase in the industry’s output in May 

was partially due to the base effect. 

Passenger car production rose by 0.3 

percent on an annual basis to 67,000 

units last month, but commercial vehicle 

production leaped 132 percent to 37,000 

units. 

The local automotive market expanded 

nearly 19 percent in May from a year ago. 

Data from the OSD showed that more than 

68,000 vehicles were sold on the local 

market. Passenger car sales increased 20 

percent to around 52,000 units. 

Turkey also boosted its passenger car 

imports by 35 percent to 33,500, while 

total vehicle imports rose by 26 percent 

to 40,000. Local carmakers shipped nearly 

79,000 vehicles to foreign markets, up 52 

percent, generating $744 million in export 

revenues, rising from $680 million a year 

ago. From January to May, the automotive 

industry’s output, however, fell by 3.5 

percent compared with the same period 

of 2021 to around 514,000 vehicles, with 

passenger car production falling 16.2 

percent to 296,400 units. 

Commercial vehicle production grew 22 

percent in the first five months of the year 

from a year ago to stand at 218,000 units. 

In the first five months of 2022, the local 

automotive market contracted 11.5 

percent. Passenger car sales were down 

13.6 percent to 214,000 vehicles. 

The industry’s export revenues climbed 3 

percent on an annual basis to $12.7 billion, 

while revenues from passenger car exports 

shrank more than 14 percent to $3.6 

billion. 


Turkey successfully tests 4th of 

its multirole helicopter Gökbey 

The fourth Gökbey, Turkey’s first 

homegrown multirole helicopter, has 

taken off for the first time, the head of the 

company developing the aircraft said. 

Temel Kotil, head of Turkish Aerospace 

Industries (TAI), made the related 

statement via his Twitter account. 

He shared photos of the Gökbey during 

tests with a caption that read: “I am happy 

to share with you the test flights of our 

4th #GÖKBEY, which took off for the first 

time. I would like to thank all my valuable 

colleagues who workday and night. We will 

always continue to work for more.” 

The Gökbey T625 is being developed as 

part of the Original Helicopter Program, 

coordinated by the Presidency of Defense 

Industries (SSB). 

The twin-engine, six-ton-class aircraft 

designed for high mission flexibility even in 

the toughest of geographical environments 

and adverse weather conditions are being 

developed in response to growing market 

demand for higher mission flexibility in this 

class. The T625 prototype was previously 

powered by a pair of LHTECs and CTS800 

4-AT turboshaft engines that have 1,373 

shaft horsepower each, produced in a joint 

Rolls-Royce and Honeywell partnership. 

The chopper will soon be powered 

by a domestically produced engine 

manufactured by TAI subsidiary TUSAŞ 

Engine Industries (TEI). 

The second prototype of the first domestic 

helicopter engine TEI-TS1400, the TS4, 

was successfully started in January 2021, 

following the initial operation of the first 

prototype. 

The turboshaft TEI-TS1400 engine has been 

tailored to the Gökbey. 


At Autopromotec 2022 the 

automotive aftermarket goes 

towards the future of mobility 

and beyond it 

The 29th edition of Autopromotec, which ended in Bologna on 

May 28, testified the energy and international standing of a sector 

that is ready to seize the challenges of the future of mobility 

Together, towards the future of mobility 

and beyond: the enthusiasm and 

international standing of the entire 

automotive aftermarket sector drove 

the success of the 29th edition of 

Autopromotec, which ended in Bologna on 

28 May. The 4 days of the exhibition, one 

day less than 2019 edition, gave evidence 

of the real strength of the sector: over 

75.141 professional operators, 15% of 

which coming from 116 countries in the 

world, crowded the Bologna exhibition 

center, to discover the most recent 

innovations in terms of specific products 

and services for each single sector of the 

market. 

On an exhibiting area of 141,000 square 

meters, for a total of 15 halls and 6 

outdoor external areas, the world of the 

automotive aftermarket met again in 

person after the break imposed by the 

pandemic, creating an important moment 

of insight, meeting and debate on the 

entire sector and its evolution. Undisputed 

protagonists of Autopromotec 2022 were 

the 1,311 participating companies, 31% of 

these coming from 46 different countries, 

that created an exclusive international 

showcase of technology and innovation. 

Autopromotec is reasserted as an event 

of a great international scope, with an 

incoming activity based on the strategic 

support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

and International Cooperation and the ICE- 

ITA Agency. Thanks to this support and with 

the joint effort of local network agencies, 

Autopromotec reached an unprecedented 

achievement this year: more than 180 

foreign delegates from over 35 countries 

were present at the 2022 edition. A great 

result was also obtained in terms of 

meetings organized within the B2B area, 

planned also with the support of Enterprise 

Europe Network: over 800 meetings, a 

sharp increase compared to the 629 of 

the pre-pandemic edition, that involved 

138 representatives of Italian participating 

companies. 

The great challenges offered by the 

automotive market, most of them already 

underway, related in particular to the 

ecological transition and autonomous 

driving served as a frame for the 2022 

edition of Autopromotec. Together with a 

unique path in the heart of the automotive 

aftermarket provided with FUTURMOTIVE 

Experience - Talks - Startups, developed 

with the support of ICE Agenzia, 

Autopromotec 2022 offered an attentive 

look towards the future of the sector, 

through the analysis and comparison of 

the most important trends. Visitors were 

then guided through the event and, more 

generally, the disruptive trends in the 

mobility supply chain, thanks to several 

opportunities for an in-depth focus and 

discussion offered by the numerous 

workshops and conferences organized 

during the show. With the first edition of 

Electric City, Autopromotec also brought a 

360-degree view of electric mobility, with a 

selection of alternative-powered cars: from 

city cars to high-performance vehicles, 

they were all on display in the 600 square 

meters of exhibition area. 

With Autopromotec 2022, the automotive 

aftermarket world gathered also on a 

“digital” level. The numbers are again 

highly relevant: in the first 5 months of 

this year, the event’s website reached 

285,733 unique visitors (compared to 

234,868 in 2019) and more than 2,411,625 

page views. A significant number of users 

followed the 2022 edition through social 

channels: again, in the first 5 months of the 


year, Autopromotec digital profiles had a 

total of 58,369 interactions and 2,074,809 

post views. 

Renzo Servadei, CEO of Autopromotec, 

commented on the success of the 29th 

edition: “For the automotive aftermarket, 

Autopromotec 2022 was the first great 

opportunity to get together again. During 

the entire event it was tangible the great 

enthusiasm to meet face to face after 

such a long time. In the past three years, 

while the world seemed to stand still, 

companies have never stopped to invest 

and innovate. This led to an enormous 

technological advance that was seen in 

every way during these days of the show: 

visitors have finally been able to touch 

all the innovations announced in recent 

months. An increasingly technological and 

digitized sector, along with challenges, 

offers important opportunities to be seized: 

professional operators have shown that 

they are well aware of the importance of 

updating and training to keep up with the 

times. The large registered participation 

shows that the sector is ready to seize the 

challenges of the future of mobility “. 

JULY 


30

Panda Auto Textile products will be all over the world 

Panda Seat Covers will bring all the products of textile group, which drivers dream 

of for their own vehicles, to consumers. 

Panda Seat Covers, which has been 

producing seat covers for automobiles for 

many years, has gone about to produce 

all the products that its customers need 

in automobile textiles. The brand, which 

currently has 4 warehouses in different 

countries in order to eliminate the logistics 

problem when sending products abroad, 

will increase this number to 10 by the 

end of March. Panda Seat Covers General 

Manager Orhan Ebem stating that they 

are the best brand of Turkey in terms of 

production, R&D and investment, stated 

that they will continue production in an 

area of 10,000 square meters with their 

new production facility and produce the 

highest quality auto textile products. 

++First of all, can we hear from you 

about the process of your brand from its 

establishment to the present? 

Panda Seat Covers is an international 

brand focused on auto textile production 

since 1986. Our goal is to become a 

solution partner of the companies we 

work with by working together. We are 

aiming to maintain the market leadership 

by combining technology and aesthetic 

understanding in our products. For this, 

we have conducted serious research in 

the international arena in the last 10 

years. How can we optimize quality? What 

kind of products does Europe use? We 

did research on questions like those. We 

started to take returns from that in a short 

time. 

What are the features of your 

products? What materials do you use 

while producing auto covers? 

We are using special products such as 

leather, velvet, linen, and jacquard and 

foal hair in production. The leathers we 

use are easy to clean and long lasting. It is 

waterproof and liquid-proof, fully wrapping 

the original seats and protecting them in 

first-class quality. Our velvet fabrics made 

of cotton make a silky touch with a special 

weaving technique. The product makes you 

feel special with its soft and comfortable 

structure. It is the first choice of our 

customers who want to make a luxury 

perception in their vehicle. Linen is a very 

strong fiber. It is brighter than cotton fiber 

and has an excellent resistance to heat. 


Thanks to its hard structure, it provides 

long-term use. It does not sweat or stretch. 

Jacquard fabric is a type of fabric made 

with patterns obtained by weaving threads 

on a special loom. Its source is cotton and 

it is the most preferred type of fabric for 

vehicle manufacturers in car seat cover 

upholstery. Because of its cotton structure, 

it does not sweat and shows long-term 

durability. Our foal fleece fabrics, which 

are made of cotton, are a high quality 

and thick-structured product due to the 

density of weaving. It has a unique texture. 

It is highly resistant to wear and tear. In 

addition, it does not sweat, has dirt and 

stain-proof properties. 

What kind of innovations have you 

brought to this sector as Panda Seat 

Covers? 

Our industry has always remained in the 

status we call under the counter. We 

opened the first factory in this sector in 

Düzce. We took care to ensure that the 

production is of maximum quality by 

giving trainings to our employees there. It 

is because, when you export, the brands 

abroad are looking at the documents you 

have such as ISO and Airbag. It was difficult 

to do this in Turkey. It is because we started 

to produce in an unconventional way. We 

have developed our machinery purchases 

in accordance with these standards. As a 

result, we started to sell to countries such 

as Romania, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and 

Belarus. 

What other work do you have 

regarding export? 

Beside these countries, we started to gain 

returns abroad by selling to Germany 4 

years ago. We saw that there is a serious 

trailer market there. We have achieved 

positive results by starting production in this 

segment as well. 

For the American market, we sent a team 

to examine the work done there. We saw 

that there was a virgin market here, and 

as a result of our work, we agreed with a 

company and started to send our standard 

products there. We both send truck covers 

here by making an agreement with a foreign 

company, and we also deliver our products 

to the American market via Poland. 

35 JULY 2022

So, how is this situation in the 

domestic market? 

We also made researches to see how we 

can deliver our products directly to our 

customers in the domestic market. Because 

the product we sell for 600 TL goes up to 

1500 TL until it reaches the customer. For 

this, we have activated our E-Commerce 

channel. Apart from our own E-Commerce 

site, we also took our place in all of the 

market places. In fact, we broke a record 

by reaching a turnover of 2 million in a 

short time like 8 months in a market place 

in 2020. As a result of our efforts, we have 

reached 1600 different sales points. We 

made a selection based on this figure, and 

now our products are being sold at around 

800 sales points on average. We have a 

field team regularly visiting these outlets 

and evaluating customer feedback. We will 

continue our efforts to deliver problem-free 

and quality products to end consumers. 

Could you give information about your 

production facilities? Do you have 

R&D studies? 

We are using 2500 different molds. We are 

the only company carrying out R&D and 

P&D studies in this sector in Turkey. We 

allocate 25% of our turnover only to these 

activities. We produce 22 thousand new 

products every month. We bought a new 

machine from Italy for my new products. 

In this way, decorative stitches began to 

take place in our products. Customers can 

already design their own covers on the 

internet with the products and colors they 

want. 


What are your new investments and 

goals for the upcoming period? 

First of all, we are starting to produce a 

new series for women. We have designed 

22 new products just for this catalogue. We 

will have different products such as stoned, 

digitally printed and knitted. At the end of 

March, we will also invest in the production 

of steering wheel covers, pillows and 

mats for the truck group. Our concern is 

to produce more various products. Now 

we want to be known as Panda Auto 

Textile, not just Panda Seat Covers. We will 

produce anything that people dream of for 

their vehicles. In addition, we will establish 

new warehouses in order to increase 

our logistics power in the coming period. 

Currently, we have 1 warehouse each in 

Germany and England, and 2 warehouses 

in Iraq. In addition to these, we will 

increase this number to 10 by putting 

into service 3 warehouses in Europe and 

1 warehouse each in America, Dubai and 

Ukraine as of the end of March. Especially 

countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar love 

the covers. We will turn this demand into 

an opportunity with quality products. 

We currently have a production site 

of 4,600 square meters. We will start 

production in the entire building we are 

in this month. As a result, we will have a 

production facility of 10,000 square meters 

in the center of Istanbul. 


Turkey’s 2022 

exports will 

exceed $250 

billion target 

Turkey’s export will exceed the targeted 

$250 billion at the end of 2022, President 

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, stressing 

that the existing growth-based economic 

model will continue to be decisively 

implemented. 

“The global health crisis followed by 

security crisis are making our job in terms 

of becoming a manufacturing hub easier. 

In this picture, the country that comes to 

the fore is Turkey. We understand that our 

export will exceed $250 billion, our target 

for 2022,” Erdoğan said at a meeting on 

the occasion for distributing awards to 

investors in Istanbul on June 13. 

The meeting was organized by Turkey’s 

Exporters’ Assembly (TİM). 

The first quarter has shown an increase 

beyond expectations in the exports figures 

thanks to the efforts and works by the TİM, 

Erdoğan stated. 

Export figures exceeding $250 billion will 

make Turkey one step closer to fulfilling the 

2023 targets, the president said. 

Global economic problems, uncertainties 

and currency fluctuations also has impact 

on Turkey, Erdoğan stressed, citing the 

rising cost of life in the country. 

“This is the empty part of the glass, but 

we should also look at the full part of the 

glass,” he said, underlining economic and 

democratic development of Turkey in the 

past 20 years under his rule. 

“We will do everything so that our country 

takes more share from $100 trillion global 

markets.” 

Turkey has always been the target of some 

powers who wanted to stop its economic 

growth, and these efforts have been much 

more visible in the past decade, Erdoğan 

said. 

The government will not allow high 

interest rates but will focus on growing the 

economy and employment by boosting 

production, the president noted. 

“We will surely compensate the loss of 

our people’s prosperity. We will decisively 

implement the Turkish economic model 

based on employment, production, 

investment and export.” 


Capacity utilization rises in May 

The capacity utilization rate (CUR) in the 

manufacturing sector increased from 77.8 

percent in April to 78 percent in May, the 

Central Bank said on May 23. 

The CUR was 77.3 percent in March. 

The durable consumer goods industry used 

74.4 percent of its capacity in May, only an 

inch higher from the previous month’s 74.2 

percent CUR, while the capacity utilization 

in the non-durable consumer goods 

industry declined from 75.7 percent in April 

to 75.4 percent. 

In the food and drinks sector, the capacity 

utilization increased from 72.7 percent to 

72.9 percent and in the consumer goods 

manufacturing sector’s CUR eased from 

75.4 percent to 75.2 percent. 

The Central Bank data also showed that 

the investment goods industry increased 

its CUR to 75 percent in May from 74.8 

percent in the previous month, while 

the CUR in the intermediate goods 

manufacturing sector rose from 79.7 

percent to 80 percent. 

The Central Bank separately said on May 

23 that the real sector confidence index 

declined from 109.7 in April to 109.4 in 

May. 

Any index figure above the 100-threshold 

indicates optimism among businesses. 

The gauge of business morale stood at 

108.5 in March. 

The sub-index for the orders received in the 

past three months advanced from 113.2 to 

114.5, but the sub-index for exports orders 

in the next three months declined from 

123.4 to 120.6. 

The sub-index measuring the real sector’s 

assessment of the general business 

condition increased from 83.6 in April 

to 87.2 in May. The Turkish Statistical 

Insitute (TÜİK) separately reported that the 

confidence in the services sector improved 

6.1 percent in May from April to 121.7. 

The confidence index for the retail industry 

was also up 1.7 percent to 121.4, but the 

business morale in the construction sector 

fell by 2.2 percent to 81.6. 


Auto industry racing to 10-minute 

electric charging times 

Electric vehicles (EVs) are simply not 

convenient enough for mass-market 

acceptance because they take excessive 

amounts of time to charge and consumers 

fear running out of juice before the next 

station, according to the auto industry. 

Automakers have sought to quell those 

concerns by developing EVs that go farther 

per charge and fill up faster. Problem is, 

most public charging stations now fill cars 

much too slowly, requiring hours – not 

minutes – to provide enough electricity for 

an extended trip. 

Concerned that such prolonged waits 

could turn away potential EV buyers and 

keep them stuck on gas-burning vehicles, 

automakers are trying to cut charging 

times to something close to the five or 10 

minutes of a conventional gasoline fill-up. 

“It’s absolutely the target to get faster 

and faster,” said Brett Smith, technology 

director at the Center for Automotive 

Research, an industry think tank. “It’s 

not there yet, but it’s one of those things 

that moves the needle more toward a 

competitive vehicle for a lot of people, this 

ability to fast charge.” 

The latest generation of EVs, many with 

ranges around 300 miles per charge, can 

accept electricity at a much faster rate 

than previous models could. So fast, in 

fact, that most charging stations cannot 

yet accommodate the vehicles’ advanced 

technology. 

It can now require hours to fully charge 

an electric vehicle because most stations 

operate on a home-like alternating current. 

Direct-current fast-charging stations, by 

contrast, are hours faster. But they can cost 

tens of thousands of dollars more. 

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks 

after touring the Ford Rouge Electric 

Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S., 

May 18, 2021. (Reuters Photo) 

The high cost is something the Biden 

administration will have to consider 

as it develops incentives to encourage 

companies and governments to build 

500,000 charging stations nationwide 

by 2030. Among the possibilities being 

discussed are grants, with $15 billion 

in spending over five years to build the 

network, including fast chargers along 

highways and in communities. Details are 

being worked out as the administration 

negotiates its infrastructure plan with key 

members of Congress. 

Of the roughly 42,000 public charging 

stations in the United States, only about 

5,000 are considered direct-current fast 

chargers, according to the Department of 

Energy. The rest are like home chargers and 

they require roughly eight hours to fully 

charge longer-range batteries, longer than 

anyone wants to wait to charge a vehicle 

on a road trip. 

And most fast chargers can pump out only 

about 50 kilowatts per hour – requiring 

roughly an hour to charge an average EV to 

80% – even though newer EVs are capable 

of being charged must faster than that. 

“It’s one of the big barriers for someone 

who is not living with a battery-electric 

vehicle yet,” said Alex Tripi, who head’s 

Volvo’s electric vehicle marketing. “It will 

continue to be for a while.” 

Limited by technology, early electric 

vehicles charged at ridiculously low speeds 

when compared with recent models. When 

Nissan’s Leaf first went on sale more than 

a decade ago, for example, it could take 

in only 50 kilowatts per hour from a fast 

charger. That meant it took a half hour to 

charge it to 80% of its small battery, just 58 

miles. 

A new long-range version released in 

2019 nearly tripled the range per charge. 

Because it can take 100 kilowatts at a fast 

charger, it can get to 80% – 181 miles – in 

45 minutes. 

Newer EVs can be charged even faster. 

But they far exceed the capacity of most 

fast chargers. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E and 

F-150 Lightning can take in 150 kilowatts 

per hour. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and Porsche’s 

Taycan are over 200 kilowatts. 

The Hyundai, with 300 miles of range, can 

go from a 10% charge to 80% in just 18 

minutes, much closer to gasoline fill-up 

times. Hyundai knows there aren’t many 

chargers now that can fill the Ioniq that 

fast. But it says it’s ready for a future when 

more quick chargers are more widely 

available. 

Automakers tend to quote charging times 

to 80% of battery capacity because it takes 

much longer to go from 80% to 100%; the 

final 20% is often slowed down to prolong 

battery life. 

“Hopefully the infrastructure will improve 

across the U.S. for this to be a whole 

lot more viable,” said John Shon, senior 

manager of product planning. 

Tesla, which has its own private charging 

network of 25,000 plugs worldwide, leads 

in nearly every measurable category and 

just posted its seventh straight profitable 

quarter. Its newer chargers can crank out 


up to 250 kilowatts and 175 miles of range 

in about 15 minutes. 

Electrify America, a charging network 

funded with money paid by Volkswagen 

as punishment for its emissions cheating 

scandal, says it’s ready for the newer EVs. 

Having installed fast chargers since 2018, 

it runs more than 600 stations with 2,600 

plugs nationwide. All can pump out 150 

kilowatts. That means they can charge a 

typical EV with 300 miles of range to 80% 

of battery capacity (240 miles) in roughly 

45 minutes. Electrify America is adding 

350-kilowatt stations, which can charge 

twice as fast. 

A fast-charge fill-up to 80% of battery 

capacity varies by state but typically costs 

around $16. 

Even Tesla owners, who can access the 

nation’s biggest fast-charging charging 

network, risk running out of juice on road 

trips, especially in rural areas. One such 

driver, Dan Nelson, said he had to stop at 

a Tesla station near Ann Arbor, Michigan, 

for more than 20 minutes to make sure his 

Model 3 had enough charge to reach his 

rural home 25 miles away. 

A China-made Tesla Model 3 electric 

vehicle shines on display at the Guangzhou 

auto show in Guangzhou, Guangdong 

province, China, Nov. 21, 2019. (Reuters 

Photo) 

“There’s definitely improvements that can 

be made,” said Nelson, who charges at 

home most of the time. 

Bruce Westlake, president of the East 

Michigan Electric Auto Association, 

suggested that such anxiety tends to ease 

as people gain more experience with EVs. 

He said he is now comfortable running his 

two Teslas as low as 5% of battery capacity 

to go farther between charges on trips. 

Research by J.D. Power and Associates 

shows that most people think charging 

stations are needed at locations where gas 

stations are now. But in fact, according to 

the Energy Department, most EV owners 

charge at home more than 80% of the time. 

That means super-fast chargers, which can 

cost close to $100,000, should be built 

mainly along highways where people are 

traveling long distances and need to charge 

quickly, experts say. They also may be 

needed in urban areas where people live 

in apartments with no access to a home 

charger. 

A journalist takes photographs of an Ultra 

Fast EV Charger next to a Kia EV6 GT during 

a photo opportunity in Seoul, South Korea, 

June 1, 2021. (Reuters Photo) 

It’s far from clear that the automakers can 

depend on a proliferation of fast chargers 

across the country to build customer 

confidence and propel EV sales in the years 

ahead. The high cost and heavy load on 

utility grids likely will limit the number 

of fast chargers to areas where they’re 

needed for quick fill-ups, said Jessika 

Trancik, an associate professor at the 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology who 

studies EV charging. 

“As we’re approaching this transition,” she 

said. “It’s important to be more strategic 

than just putting them everywhere.” 

Charging companies have time to figure 

out where to build fast chargers because 

it would take more than 17 years to 

convert the entire U.S. fleet of 279 million 

passenger vehicles from petroleum to 

electricity – even if every motorist were 

willing to make the switch, said Pasquale 

Romano, CEO of ChargePoint, a charging 

station company. 

But the chargers can’t come fast enough 

for automakers, who want more people to 

buy their EVs to spread development costs 

over more vehicles. In 2020, global electric 

car sales jumped 41% despite pandemic 

restrictions. 

Romano says fast chargers will be needed 

about every 75 miles on roads that connect 

metro areas, and that the United States 

should get there in about two years. As 

more EVs are sold, he said, more stations 

will be built. 

“You don’t want to put all the 

infrastructure in for 20 years starting with 

vehicle zero,” Pasquale said. “This is about 

the natural organic growth.” 

EVs are getting ahead of the public charging 

network, which isn’t ready to handle the 

higher kilowatts that the parade of new 

vehicles can handle. Adding to the urgency 

– EVs will be cheaper to produce than fossil 

fuel cars by 2027. 

Experts, however, say there’s time for the 

chargers to catch up as long as EV sales 

don’t take off too fast, and if charging 

networks are willing to invest in faster 

systems. 


More than 300 Turkish 

startups attract over 

$1.5B investment in 2021 

More than 300 startups from Turkey 

received a total investment of over $1.5 

billion last year, breaking the record of all 

time, Industry and Technology Minister 

Mustafa Varank said. 

He said, accordingly, Turkey “was promoted 

to the highest league in Europe.” 

Varank was speaking in a video message he 

sent to the 6th New Generation 

Varank stated that until a few years 

ago, Turkey was unfamiliar with the 

term “unicorn” and reiterated that in 

the Industry and Technology Strategy 

announced in 2019, the target of at least 

10 unicorns by 2023 was set. 

Stating that six unicorns – startups with a 

valuation of over $1 billion – have emerged 

from Turkey to date, Varank said, “Two of 

them reached the decacorn level, that is, a 

valuation of over $10 billion.” 

“This of course aroused great excitement 

about the potential of our entrepreneurial 

ecosystem both at home and abroad,” he 

said. 

Noting that such successful developments 

took place during the heaviest period of 

shocks such as the pandemic, Varank said 

that “Turcorns,” which were produced in an 

environment where production and trade 

almost came to a standstill, are the sign of 

a new generation economy for the country. 

Varank uses the term “Turcorn” to describe 

Turkish “unicorns.” 


Turkey’s BMC 

exports 170 

more buses to 

Azerbaijan 

Turkish vehicle maker BMC, one of the 

country’s largest commercial and military 

vehicle manufacturers, has sold 170 more 

buses to Azerbaijan, according to Anadolu 

Agency. 

The company continues to increase its 

exports with the new generation, high-tech 

and environmentally friendly buses, thanks 

to its research and development (R&D) 

investments in recent years, the report 

said. 

BMC, which, aside from European 

countries, has signed many projects in the 

Balkans and Turkic republics and with the 

tenders it won in Azerbaijan, the company 

exported a total of 510 Procity 12-meter 

(40-foot) buses, 20 Procity 18-meter 

buses and 35 Neocity 9-meter buses with 

compressed natural gas (CNG) engines. 

With the latest acceptance procedures, 

the delivery of 170 Neocity 9-meter 

CNG buses has been completed. Thus, 

the number of BMC buses serving in 

Azerbaijan’s capital Baku increased to 735. 

Having produced the first natural gas and 

fully low-floor city bus in Turkey, BMC 

buses stand out with their high comfort 

and technological features. BMC’s buses 

produce special solutions for preventing 

air pollution, which is the most important 

problem of big cities, with their lowemission 

and environmentally friendly 

engines. 

BMC, Turkey’s first commercial vehicle 

manufacturer to export to Europe, 

provides a significant amount of foreign 

currency inflow to the country with its 

sales to more than 80 countries in its deeprooted 

history of half a century. 

Winning the “Best Design Award” at 

Busworld Europe, Neocity is BMC’s new 

generation bus series. Neocity buses, 

which are produced in 8.5, 9 and 10-meter 

lengths with electric, diesel and CNG, offer 

special solutions for the different needs of 

cities. 

Neocity, which has the lowest turning 

radius in its class thanks to its independent 

front axle, provides superior driving 

comfort with its high maneuverability and 

high traction, even in the narrowest streets 

of the city. Neocity 8.5 and 9-meter buses 

offer the opportunity for up to 72 people 

to travel comfortably and the 10-meter 

versions allow for up to 88 passengers. 


Czinger 21C debuts at Concours on 

Savile Row with H.R. Owen 

The Czinger 21C hypercar will be making 

its first public appearance in the UK at the 

inaugural Concours on Savile Row event in 

the heart of London. In partnership with 

H.R. Owen – exclusive UK dealer to Czinger 

– the 21C will be displayed outside Norton 

& Sons tailors for the duration of the show. 

The 21C sets new standards in both 

engineering and design. It is propelled by 

the most power-dense production internal 

combustion engine the world has ever 

seen, pairing a 2.88-litre twin-turbocharged 

V8 petrol unit with an 800-volt electric 

drive system, to produce a peak power 

output of 1233bhp. 

That astonishing power is distributed 

across all four wheels via a seven-speed 

sequential transaxle gearbox which, in 

a car weighing just 1250kg, equates to 

devastating performance. The 0-62mph 

sprint is dispatched in 1.9 seconds, while 

0-186mph takes only 8.5 seconds. A top 

speed of 253mph is possible. 

Czinger has developed a ground-breaking 

build process to enable it to push the 

envelope of hypercar performance with 

the 21C. Czinger’s patented human-AI 

design process ensures every component 

of the car is optimised for performance, 

weight and packaging. For example, the 

front upper control arm is hollow with 

3D-printed internal structures allowing it to 

achieve significant weight savings without 

affecting performance. This attention to 

detail and obsession with perfection has 

been applied throughout every aspect of 

the car, each and every component is a 

bespoke work of art. 

Thanks to its outstanding power-to-weight 

ratio the 21C has already set a production 

car lap record at Laguna Seca, beating the 

McLaren Senna by two seconds. At Circuit 

of the Americas, the 21C also holds the lap 

record, having beaten the previous holder 

– the McLaren P1 – by six seconds. 

Just 80 examples of the Czinger 21C will 

be built, available to customers in two fully 

homologated specifications; a lightweight 

high downforce configuration and a low 

drag configuration for top speed. 

Those hoping to see the Czinger 21C can 

find it at the Concours on Savile Row; a 

celebration of automotive and tailoring 

excellence taking place at London’s worldfamous 

Savile Row on June 15 - 16. 

The iconic street will be closed to traffic to 

display some of the world’s greatest cars, 

including the 21C which can be found near 

Norton & Sons, bespoke tailors and shirt 

makers since 1821. 

H.R Owen, the UK’s leading luxury motor 

dealer group, is proud to have recently 

been appointed the exclusive UK retailer 

to Czinger. Czinger is the latest addition 

to H.R Owen’s partners, which include 

sought-after luxury and performance 

brands such as Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, 

Lamborghini, BAC, Puritalia, Rimac and 

Radford. 

Ken Choo, CEO of H.R Owen, said: “It’s 

an honour to be partnering with the 

Czinger team to debut the 21C in the UK 

at the Concours on Savile Row. It’s a great 

opportunity for us to begin introducing this 

trailblazing brand to the people of London, 

in one of the most suitable settings. The 

bespoke craftsmanship that underpins 

the design and engineering of the 21C is 

perfectly mirrored in the tailored creations 

of Savile Row. It will be a celebration of 

the highest standards from the worlds of 

automotive design and bespoke tailoring.” 

Czinger Co-Founder and EVP Operations 

Lukas Czinger, said “As the foremost luxury 

automotive dealer in the U.K., H.R. Owen 

is an instantly recognized and respected 

international brand. As we grow our 

global presence and our vehicle portfolio, 

collaborating with the right, best-in-class, 

partners is critical. Together with H.R. 

Owen, we will introduce a new era of 

automotive performance and technology 

to the U.K. market.” 


Everrati Electric Icons to 

Chauffeur Vip Guests at the 

Royal Versailles Ball 

Everrati Automotive Limited (Everrati), the 

leading EV technology and repowering 

brand is honoured to be chosen as the 

sole automotive partner of the highly 

prestigious Royal Versailles Ball 2022, with 

its electrified icons playing a key role in the 

ultra-exclusive charity event. 

The Royal Versailles Ball is a private, 

invitation-only, white tie event which held 

at The Palace of Versailles on 21st May 

2022 on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s 

203rd birthday. It became a spectacular, 

once-in-a-lifetime experience, paying 

homage to Napoleon III’s original Ball of 

1855, which Queen Victoria attended as 

the guest of honour. 

As one of the world’s most environmentally 

friendly cars, the electric Land Rover 

Series IIA, a quintessentially British car, 

aligned with its state-of-the-art Everrati 

EV powertrain, was deemed the most 

fitting vehicle to transport VIP guests in 

sustainable luxury. 

An exclusive guest list of 1,100 attended 

the Ball, including European royalty, 

UHNW and HNW individuals, and bluechip 

corporations. The Royal Versailles Ball 

supports three wonderful charity partners, 

UNICEF UK, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy 

and Street Child UK who work to provide 

educational programmes in vulnerable 

communities around the world, as well as 

support for children and families affected 

by the war in Ukraine. All proceeds from 

the event donated to these chosen 

charities. Justin Lunny, Founder & CEO, 

Everrati Automotive Limited, said: “It is an 

honour for Everrati to play a part in one of 

the globe’s most prestigious and exclusive 

events – of which our electrified icons 

will form a key part of guests’ experience. 

Everrati is recognised for preserving some 

of the most iconic cars ever made, yet also 

ensuring they can be driven sustainably 

in a modern low-carbon world. The Royal 

Versailles Ball will welcome a variety of 

environmentally conscious members of 

Royal Families as well as UHNWIs seeking 

the very latest in sustainable luxury driving 

experiences.” 

Everrati’s Land Rover Series IIA – 

painstakingly refined and tested at the 

company’s technical centre in Upper 

Heyford, Oxfordshire – incorporates a 

brand-new EV powertrain courtesy of 

the company’s expert team of industry 

specialists from world-leading OEMs. 

The off-roader’s 60kWh battery pack has 

a power output of 150bhp and 300Nm 

of torque reinvigorates the car’s original 

character, coupled with a true zeroemission 

range of up to 125 miles. 

Available in every major market, surging 

demand for Everrati products globally 

is being led by sustainability-conscious 

millennials and Gen-Z buyers seeking iconic 

cars from decades such as the 80s and 90s 

who demand electric power over internal 

combustion. Everrati buyers are also 

traditional car collectors with a passion for 

the latest in automotive technology. 

Everrati’s model line-up consists of 

electrified versions of the Porsche 911 

(964) Coupe, Targa, Cabriolet in Pure, 

Signature, and Gulf Signature Editions, 

the Land Rover Series IIA, the GT40 in 

partnership with Superformance including 

officially licenced Gulf Edition, and the 

Mercedes-Benz W113 SL ‘Pagoda’. 


Boom in 

demand for 

zero-emission 

commercial 

vehicles at the 

municipal level 

•The world’s leading trade fair for 

water, sewage, waste and raw materials 

management (IFAT 2022) shows a sharp 

increase in the demand for BEV and FCEV 

commercial vehicles especially from 

municipal companies and businesses 

• E-mobility specialist QUANTRON records 

increased incoming orders and enquiries 

for commercial vehicles at the IFAT, 

especially in the heavy and light segments 

after the presentation of QUANTRON´s BEV 

and hydrogen commercial vehicles 

Quantron AG, specialist in battery and 

hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles, 

was an exhibitor at IFAT 2022 in Munich. 

IFAT is the largest platform worldwide for 

water, sewage, waste and raw materials 

management with around 120,0000 visitors 

and 3,000 exhibitors from 155 countries. 

During the four days of the trade fair, 

Quantron AG received various orders for 

new zero-emission vehicles and numerous 

enquiries about converting existing diesel 

commercial vehicles to electric drives, 

primarily from municipal companies. 

The demand from the companies focused 

on all-electric vehicles from the heavy-duty 

segment, e.g. refuse collection vehicles 

such as the QUANTRON QHB 27-280 as 

well as light and medium-duty transporters 

both equipped with hydrogen fuel cell 

technology, realised with the exhibited 

QUANTRON QLI FCEV, and battery-electric 

driven as with the QUANTRON QARGO 4 

EV. 

“It is clearly noticeable that municipal 

companies in particular feel the pressure 

to act and now want to convert their 

fleets to be emission-free,” says Reiner 

Dellori, Chief Product Advisor at Quantron 

AG. “The problem for many companies 

is the implementation of the EU Clean 

Vehicles Directive on the one hand, with 

rising operating costs for diesel-powered 

vehicles and the inability of established 

manufacturers to deliver on the other. In 

contrast, QUANTRON is able to deliver 

suitable vehicles within only a few months.” 

As a result, QUANTRON was able to sell 

additional battery-electric operated 

QUANTRON QARGO 4 EV Light Transporters 

at the fair. The vehicle was launched at 

the end of April 2022 and ideally suited 

for sustainable transportation tasks in 

inner-city areas and for last-mile deliveries. 

Fully-electric refuse collection trucks in 

particular are of great interest to local 

authorities. With the QUANTRON QHB 

27-280, which is based on the Mercedes- 

Benz Econic, QUANTRON is producing a 

vehicle that is particularly pleasant for 

residents and vehicle personnel alike 

thanks to its emission-free and low-noise 

mode of operation. Featuring a battery 

capacity of 280 kWh, the refuse collection 

truck effortlessly manages a complete shift 

and can simply be charged overnight for 

everyday use. Furthermore, QUANTRON 

was also able to inspire customers 

regarding its hydrogen-powered vehicles. 

The QUANTRON QLI FCEV Light Transporter, 

based on the Iveco Daily, was developed in 

close cooperation with QUANTRON partner 

and fuel cell expert, AE Driven Solutions. 

The tremendous interest shown by trade 

fair visitors in the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle 

demonstrates that municipal companies 

are very open-minded when it comes to 

the innovative energy source. 

Together with its partner, Ballard Power 

Systems, QUANTRON is working on the 

development of hydrogen-powered 

vehicles in the heavy sector. The first 

vehicle of the joint hydrogen offensive will 

be presented at the IAA Transportation Fair 

in September 2022. 


Trucker strike stresses S. Korea economy, 

threatens supply chains 

South Korea’s prime minister warned 

that the disruption of cargo transport 

could cause “irrecoverable” damage to 

the country’s economy, as a nationwide 

truckers’ strike initiated. 

About 6,840 truckers were rallying at 

14 sites across South Korea, continuing 

to trigger a delay in the shipment and 

delivery of key items like steel, cement, 

petrochemicals and tires, the Transport 

Ministry said in a statement. 

The statement said some steel and cementrelated 

factories halted their operations. 

It accused some striking truckers of 

obstructing cargo transports at some major 

southeastern ports. During a Cabinet 

meeting, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, 

South Korea’s No. 2 official, said the “illicit 

activities” by the striking truckers will never 

receive public support, according to Cho 

Yong-man, the No. 2 vice culture minister 

who serves as a government spokesperson. 

Cho cited Han as saying that the disruption 

of cargo transport could pose “a big 

irrecoverable blow” to South Korea’s 

economy, which already faces other 

difficulties. 

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy 

said in a statement that the first six days of 

the strike caused an estimated 1.6 trillion 

won ($1.2 billion) in damages. 

Truckers are on a strike, calling for 

an extension of temporary measures 

guaranteeing minimum wages amid soaring 

fuel prices. They met government officials 

several times but each meeting ended 

without any breakthrough. 

In a statement, the Cargo Truckers 

Solidarity said the Transport Ministry 

lacked the resolve and capacity to narrow 

differences over the truckers’ demand. 

The Transport Ministry said it’s seeking to 

continue talks to address the issue. 

South Korean officials and experts say the 

strike’s damage has so far been limited to 

the country’s domestic industry, though 

a prolonged strike may undermine the 

global supply chains already hit by Russia’s 

assault on Ukraine and China’s COVID-19 

restrictions. It also represents the first 

major industrial action under newly elected 

President Yoon Suk-yeol, a pro-business 

conservative who previously vowed to deal 

“strictly” with labor disputes. 

South Korea is the world’s largest memory 

chip exporter and home to global chip 

powerhouse Samsung Electronics, as well 

as large car companies including Kia and 

Hyundai Motors. 

“All we are asking for is to remove the 

uncertainty in our lives,” Cho Jeong-jae, a 

member of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity 

Union, told. 

The truckers say they are “desperate” due 

to sharp rises in fuel costs – with inflation 

in South Korea at its highest level in over 

a decade according to official data last 

month. 

“When fuel prices drop, it’s reflected very 

quickly by lowering freight fees,” Cho said. 

“But that’s not the case when fuel prices 

rise. Our livelihood is at stake.” 

Loud music blared out from a van parked 

near a port in Incheon , AFP reporters saw, 

as dozens of trucks lined up the road, flying 

flags hoisted on bamboo canes. 

Similar protests were happening across 

the country – more than 7,000 people 

took part in the protests at 14 locations, 

according to the land ministry. 


Turkey’s 

Katmerciler 

exports armored 

land vehicles to 

Gambia 

Turkish land vehicles manufacturer 

Katmerciler, which already has strong 

business relations in Africa, is exporting 

its 4x4 Tactical Wheeled Armored Combat 

Vehicle Hızır to Gambia, according to a 

Turkish defense site. 

DefenseTurk said in a report based on 

open-source information and images, that 

the company, which previously exported to 

Kenya, Uganda and an undisclosed country, 

is now selling its Hızır vehicles to Gambia. 

Last year in August, it was reported 

that Gambia signed an agreement with 

Katmerciler for the purchase of the vehicle 

in question, but there has yet been no 

official announcement on the issue. 

The DefenseTurk report said recent images 

also circulating on social media reveal 

that camouflaged Hızır vehicles are being 

delivered to the African country. 

Furkan Katmerci, deputy chairperson of the 

Executive Board of Katmerciler, previously 

said that the company’s “export move 

toward friendly countries from different 

parts of the world, particularly Africa, 

continues.” 

In March 2021, the Gambian delegation 

headed by Gambian Defense Minister Seikh 

Omar Faye visited Turkey where he was 

welcomed by Turkey’s National Defense 

Minister Hulusi Akar. 

During the meetings views were exchanged 

on bilateral and regional security, defense 

matters and cooperation opportunities in 

the defense industry. 

An updated Military Cooperation and 

Training Agreement between the two 

countries was also signed by Akar and Faye 

following the talks. 

The fully indigenous Hızır is a 

400-horsepower vehicle, which provides 

high protection against mines and 

handmade explosives. It was produced 

for conflict conditions with high 

maneuverability and ballistic fortification. 

It was designed to perform well under 

conditions of intense conflict in rural 

and urban areas, providing high-level 

protection. Having been developed to meet 

NATO standards and successfully passing 

all performance and explosion tests, the 

vehicle was approved by an independent 

international testing organization. 

Katmerciler in July 2021 signed a contract 

with the Kenyan Defense Ministry to 

provide the African country with armored 

vehicle products including the Hızır. 

The contract, worth $91.4 million, was 

dubbed the company’s largest single export 

deal. 


Fisker surpasses 

50,000 

reservations for 

Fisker Ocean 

SUV and reveals 

additional 

details about its 

second vehicle, 

the Fisker PEAR 

Fisker Inc. — passionate developer of 

the world’s most sustainable electric 

vehicles and advanced mobility solutions 

— announced that reservations for its 

all-electric Fisker Ocean SUV surpassed 

50,000. The company also revealed 

significant additional details about its 

second vehicle, the Fisker PEAR (“Personal 

Electric Automotive Revolution”). 

The Fisker Ocean will start production at 

a carbon-neutral factory in Austria on Nov. 

17, 2022, with the base Sport trim priced 

at $37,499 before incentives*. The Extreme 

trim level is priced at $68,999 and delivers 

an estimated range of over 350 miles**. 

The Fisker PEAR will be fully revealed 

in the second half of 2023 and enter 

production at a plant owned by 

Fisker partner Foxconn in 2024. With 

development well underway, prototype 

testing is expected to begin at the end of 

2022. 

“The impressive number of reservations 

for the Fisker Ocean proves there’s huge 

interest in our brand and in electric 

vehicles,” CEO Henrik Fisker said. “The 

over 3,200 reservations already for the 

Fisker PEAR indicate this revolutionary 

mobility device, designed for city dwellers, 

demonstrates customers are ready for 

Fisker to deliver the 21st century’s most 

innovative vehicle. The Fisker PEAR’s cool 

new features and technologies – and 

affordable pricing below $29,900 – are 

designed specifically for the customer of 

the future.” 

The Fisker PEAR is a sporty crossover, 

smaller than the Fisker Ocean SUV. 

The Fisker PEAR will have the first-ever 

Fisker Houdini trunk, an alternative to 

traditional rear cargo hatches. Intended 

for a metropolitan lifestyle, Fisker PEAR ‘s 

interior will offer a new level of storage for 

its segment. Design-wise, the beltline and 

side window area are extremely low, with a 

large, wraparound windscreen affording a 

commanding view when driving. The Fisker 

PEAR will be available in rear-wheel-drive 

(single motor) and all-wheel-drive (dual 

motor) configurations featuring four levels 

of option packages. 

The Fisker PEAR offers two battery packs, 

with the larger Hyper Range pack targeted 

at over 310 miles and like the Fisker Ocean, 

will feature the Fisker SolarSky panoramic 

roof, adding emissions-free range to the 

battery. 

Fisker promises to provide even more 

detail about the Fisker PEAR throughout 

2022. 


Volvo CE first in the world to deliver construction 

machine built using fossil-free steel to customer 

In the latest step on its path toward carbon 

neutrality, Volvo Construction Equipment 

(Volvo CE) becomes the first manufacturer 

to deliver a construction machine built 

using fossil-free steel to a customer. 

This demonstrates the fast-tracking of 

innovation to real-world solutions as 

companies across the value chain come 

together to drive change. 

The A30G articulated hauler built using 

fossil-free steel was handed over by 

President of Volvo CE Melker Jernberg to 

long-standing customer NCC, at a ceremony 

hosted by LeadIt – the Leadership Group 

for Industry Transition – in conjunction 

with the United Nations environmental 

meeting Stockholm +50. It was attended by 

John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy 

to Climate and Annika Strandhäll, Swedish 

Minister for Climate. 

The move comes just nine months after 

the company unveiled the world’s first 

vehicle concept using fossil-free steel, as 

part of the testing of the implementation 

in an ordinary production setup. While 

commercial introduction is expected to 

be gradual with selected customers, this 

speedy first handover is an important 

milestone in the Group’s ambition to drive 

industry transformation towards global 

climate goals. The A30G is produced at 

Volvo CE’s Braås facility in Sweden, using 

the existing manufacturing process, 

with fossil-free steel from Swedish steel 

company SSAB. 

Melker Jernberg says: “We are sure that to 

succeed in decarbonizing the construction 

industry, actors in the value chain will 

need to collaborate and act. Thanks to our 

strong partnerships with other driven and 

forward-thinking companies, we are now 

able to lead the change towards fossil-free 

construction and be the first to deliver 

a machine built using fossil-free steel to 

a customer. Turning commitments into 

actions is key to building the world we 

want to live in.” 

Tomas Carlsson, CEO and President of 

NCC, says: “NCC has a firm commitment 

to contribute to sustainable development. 

We are working determinedly and 

systematically to reach that target, which 

includes selecting machines that live up to 

our high demands. As demonstrated in this 

great example, it takes strong and proactive 

partnerships between several players to 

make the sustainable shift possible.” 

As part of its Science-Based Targets 

commitment, Volvo CE is set to achieve 

net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 

2040. Alongside the electrification of its 

machines, the company recognizes the 

importance of reducing its carbon footprint 

across its entire value chain. This includes 

the raw materials used in its products, of 

which steel is a major component. The 

production using fossil-free steel in Volvo 

CE’s machines and components will be 

gradual and depend on aspects such as 

steel availability. 


China in talks with automakers on EV subsidy extension 

China is in talks with automakers about 

extending costly subsidies for electric 

vehicles (EV) that were set to expire in 

2022, aiming to keep a key market growing 

as the broader economy slows, three 

people familiar with the matter said. 

The move by policymakers comes as the 

world’s second-biggest economy has 

slowed sharply – and auto sales along with 

it – after cities led by Shanghai imposed 

tight COVID-19 lockdowns from March. The 

curbs have shut stores, disrupted supply 

chains and slashed spending, including on 

new homes. 

Government departments including the 

Ministry of Information and Industrial 

Technology (MIIT) are considering a 

continuation of subsidies to EV buyers in 

2023, said the people, who declined to be 

named as the discussions were private. 

China’s expensive incentive program has 

been credited with producing the world’s 

largest EV market. Since the subsidies 

began in 2009, some 100 billion yuan 

($14.8 billion) have been handed out 

to buyers including commercial fleet 

operators up to the end-2021, according to 

an estimate by Shi Ji, an auto analyst with 

China Merchants Bank International. 

The full terms of the 2023 extension, 

including the amount of the subsidies and 

which vehicles would qualify for them, 

have not been finalized, the people with 

knowledge of the matter said. 

One specific measure under review would 

roll back a planned purchase tax increase 

for qualified electric and partly electric 

vehicles, two people briefed on the 

discussions told Reuters. 

For this year, there is no purchase tax for 

such vehicles, but the government had 

planned to raise the tax to 10% of the 

purchase price in 2023. Instead, the rate 

would be raised to just 5%, they said. 

Subsidies have been available for cars 

made by all automakers including non- 

Chinese players like EV giant Tesla O, which 

has a factory in Shanghai and is the only 

foreign automaker with a top-selling EV. 

The MIIT and Ministry of Finance didn’t 

immediately respond to requests for 

comment. 

The EV subsidy scheme was originally 

scheduled to be phased out by the end of 

2020, but Beijing extended it for two years 

to spur demand in the wake of the COVID 

pandemic. 

The government also cut the number of 

subsidies per vehicle over the years as 

demand surged and manufacturing costs 

fell. For example, the subsidy for a plugin 

hybrid with a range of more than 300 

kilometers (186 miles) was cut by about 

20% to the equivalent of about $1,900. 

EVs for $4,000 

The program of incentives for buying what 

China calls new-energy vehicles (NEV) has 

stoked purchases of cars with a longer 

driving range in particular, as it has raised 

the threshold on vehicles qualifying for the 

subsidies over the years. 

In the highly developed China EV market, 


smaller battery-powered city cars, most 

of which don’t qualify for subsidies, make 

up 40% of EV sales, according to auto 

consultancy JATO, and cost on average 

just under $4,000. That compares with 

more than $26,000 in the United States 

for equivalent models. Subsidies are now 

targeted at bigger models, with a driving 

range of more than 300 kilometers per 

charge and priced under 300,000 yuan 

($44,459). China’s NEV sales increased 45% 

year-on-year in April to 299,000, according 

to data from the China Association of 

Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), while 

across the whole auto sector some 1.18 

million vehicles were sold. But that jump 

was at a much slower pace than growth in 

the previous month when sales more than 

doubled from a year earlier. 

CAAM has urged the government to 

consider additional help for the industry. 

Overall, April vehicle sales were down 

almost 48% from a year earlier, data from 

the industry group showed. 

Some local governments, including 

Guangdong and Chongqing, had also 

rolled out stimulus measures to subsidies 

consumers who exchange their old 

combustion engine vehicles for new EVs in 

April. 

In what would be a separate move, stateowned 

newspaper China Securities Journal 

reported that officials would introduce 

subsidies from June to encourage more 

rural buyers to purchase cars including 

NEVs, with payouts of up to 5,000 yuan 

($740) per vehicle. Shanghai’s municipal 

government is also considering how it can 

kickstart spending after a drastic wipeout 

of vehicle sales in China’s commercial 

and financial hub in April. According to 

the Shanghai Automobile Sales Trade 

Association, not a single new car was sold 

in the city of 25 million people during last 

month’s stringent lockdown. 

JULY 


76

Theon 

Design grows 

production amid 

surging global 

demand for its 

Bespoke 

Porsche 911 

Theon Design has significantly expanded its 

production capabilities with the opening of 

a new, purpose-built facility, and a series of 

expert new staff joining the team. Theon 

Design’s expansion is driven by surging 

international demand for its bespoke, 

exactingly developed, design-led Porsche 

911 (964) based commissions, which are 

offered for sale in every major global 

territory. 

Founded in 2016 by Adam Hawley, a car 

designer, and business and marketing 

expert Lucinda Argy, Theon comprises 

experts in automotive design, engineering, 

engine and chassis development, along 

with trim and vehicle manufacturing. It is 

driven by a desire to build the perfect aircooled 

Porsche 911, one that combines the 

aesthetics and analogue driver involvement 

of a classic with modern 

comfort, driveability and performance. 

Hawley, who spent 20 years as a designer 

working for leading automotive OEMs, such 

as BMW, 

Jaguar and Lotus, explains: “Our goal is to 

enhance the Porsche 911 formula, applying 

an OEM-like approach, using Computer 

Aided Design (CAD) and manufacture to 

deliver the highest 

quality and finish – all while honouring 

Stuttgart’s rich heritage and engineering 

ethos”. 

For each 911 (964) based commission, 

every component is 3D scanned and 

modelled, enabling Theon to assemble 

each car to the tightest possible tolerances, 

and create a unique, enhanced 911. A 

wide range of engines are available – from 

285bhp 3.6-litre, 370bhp 3.8-litre and 

400bhp naturally-aspirated options to 

forced induction, with both turbocharging 

and supercharging also offered. 

Unprecedented global demand 

Clients from around the world have been 

drawn in ever growing numbers to Theon’s 

unique 

proposition, captivated by the prospect of 

a classic Porsche 911 that incorporates 3D 

modelled, 

exhaustively engineered OEM+ quality, 

along with complete personalisation 

potential; customers are more eager than 

ever to realise their Porsche 911 fantasy. 

Hawley comments: “We are delighted to 

have such a passionate client base, with 

whom we closely collaborate on each 

bespoke commission. We have been 

equally thrilled by the surge in demand for 

our cars over the past 18 months; Theon 

Design has an expanding order bank of 

Porsche enthusiasts from across the globe, 

with cars in build for customers in Belgium, 

Chile, North America and Italy, on top of 

multiple cars for the UK. These customers 

will join our growing group of existing 

clients in Europe, North & South America, 

and Asia - the ‘Theon owners club’ if you 

will – a truly international community. It 

means a great deal to have such interest 

in what we do as a company, and that our 

passion-driven creations, underpinned 

by the team’s obsessive attention detail, 

resonate with enthusiasts around the 

world.” 

Build slots are now open for 2023. 

Breaking new ground: purpose-built 

design and production complex 

To meet growing international demand, 

Theon has been significantly expanded, 

with an all-new 

manufacturing and design facility. A 

proudly British operation, Theon’s new 

state state-of-the-art base is located in 

Deddington, Oxfordshire, nestled in the 

heart of the UK’s famed ‘Motorsport 

Valley’. Theon Design’s location means 

it is ideally placed to further develop its 

partnerships with high-end automotive 

suppliers, leveraging the region’s 

unparalleled motorsport and highperformance 

road car expertise. 

The facility is constructed on a multi-acre 

site and features a design studio along with 

production hall, enabling final assembly 

of multiple commissions to be carried 

out in parallel, as well as an engine build 

shop. The new building increases Theon’s 

footprint by 200%, with its previous HQ 

now 

repurposed to focus solely on restoration 

and hand forming of body panels. 


New Fiat Doblo 

production shifts 

to Spain from 

Turkey 

The new generation of the light commercial 

vehicle Fiat Doblo, which has been 

produced in Turkish automaker Tofaş’s 

factory in the northwestern province of 

Bursa for 22 years will soon be produced at 

the Vigo factory in Galicia, Spain, according 

to a company statement. 

Tofaş, which made the related statement to 

the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), said 

that the new Fiat Doblo will be produced 

at Stellantis’ factory. Tofaş is a joint venture 

of Turkish conglomerate Koç Holding and 

Fiat. Stellantis was formed in 2021 through 

the merger between France’s PSA and Fiat 

Chrysler. 

“Studies and evaluations on new 

products to be produced at the Tofaş 

factory continue, including extending 

the production of the current Fiat Doblo 

model, which is expected to continue until 

the end of 2022, for Turkey, North America, 

Canada, the Middle East and Africa, in line 

with the demand from export markets, and 

the finalized important information will be 

shared with the public,” Tofaş said in the 

statement. 

With this decision, light commercial models 

of Fiat, Peugeot, Opel and Citroen within 

the Stellantis group will be produced on the 

same platform. Toyota’s light commercial 

model has also been produced in 

partnership with Stellantis for an extended 

period. 

Brands such as Ferrari, Abarth, Alfa Romeo, 

Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, 

Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram and 

Vauxhall operate within Stellantis. 

In the official statement made by Stellantis, 

it was noted that the new Doblo will be 

presented to the consumer with a fully 

electric option. It said that the fifthgeneration 

Doblo will be Fiat’s third 

100% electric model and also provided 

information about the vehicle’s internal 

combustion engines. 

Accordingly, a 1.5-liter 100-horsepower 

diesel engine will be used in the 

manual transmission option, while the 

130-horsepower version of this engine will 

be offered for sale with both manual and 

8-speed automatic transmissions. 

The Doblo will also feature a 1.2-liter petrol 

engine that produces 100 horsepower. 

In the electric version of the new Doblo, 

a 100 kW electric motor and a 50 kWh 

battery will be installed. 

With this combination, the range of the 

Doblo is expected to be 280 kilometers 

(174 miles) with a top speed of 130 kph. 

The company has also said that the vehicle 

will offer 260 Nm of torque. 

Shares in Tofaş dropped more than 7% after 

the announcement that the production 

was shifted to Spain. 

The production of Fiat Doblo, which has 

been produced in Turkey for 22 years, 

started in Tofaş in September 2000, 

with the decision of Fiat to carry out the 

production of a model in a country other 

than Italy for the first time in the world. 

The Doblo, which came off the bands as 

a model born from scratch in Turkey, was 

produced in 100,000 units in the first year 

of its manufacturing. In the same year, 90% 

of the total Doblo production was exported 

to 43 countries. 

Doblo, which was sent to all European 

countries in 2001, constituted 83% of 

Tofaş’s total exports at that time. 

In 2006, the production of the second 

generation of Doblo started. The vehicle 

won the Commercial Vehicle of the Year 

award in Europe that year. The next 

generation of the Doblo was also named 

Commercial Vehicle of the Year in Europe 

in 2011. 

Some 75% of the total production of more 

than 2 million units of Doblo, which has 

been offered to world markets in four 

generations, has been exported to more 

than 80 countries around the globe so far. 

Tofaş, in which Koç Holding and FCA Italy 

SPA are equal shareholders, manufactures 

the Fiat Egea family’s sedan, hatchback, 

station wagon and cross models, as well as 

Fiorino models, in addition to the Doblo. 

The annual production capacity of the 

company’s factory is 450,000 per year, 

according to the statement. 

While total production of Tofaş decreased 

in 2021, Doblo production increased. 

Producing a total of 250,630 vehicles 

in 2020 at the factory in Bursa, Tofaş 

produced 68,798 Doblos in the same year. 

Tofaş, whose total production decreased 

to 228,810 in 2021, increased its Doblo 

production to 77,520 units last year. 

The figures reveal that about 35% of the 

company’s total production consists of 

Doblos. 


Baykar becomes 

top exporter 

in Turkey’s 

defense, 

aerospace sector 

Turkish drone magnate Baykar 

outperformed major companies in the 

defense and aerospace industry in terms 

of sales abroad last year, becoming the 

export champion of the sector, according to 

official data. 

The Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) 

recently announced the top exporters in 

the 27 sectors, revealing that the export 

titan of the defense and aerospace industry 

has changed after many years. 

Baykar, developer of the world-renowned 

Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial 

vehicle (UCAV) and the newer Akıncı stateof-the-art 

UCAV, surpassed the exports of 

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) which 

produces aircraft structures for global 

aviation industry companies. 

Baykar is constantly increasing its export 

income with the contracts it makes. 

The company made $664 million in 

UCAV exports last year. This amount 

corresponded to more than 80% of the 

company’s 2021 turnover. 

Baykar developed and launched the 

Bayraktar Mini UAV, Bayraktar TB2 and 

Bayraktar Akıncı UCAVs with its own 

research and development (R&D) projects. 

All three platforms achieved export success 

in addition to being used in Turkey. 

The company is currently preparing for 

the launch of a vertical takeoff and landing 

(VTOL) Bayraktar UCAV and the National 

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle System 

(MIUS). The MIUS was named Bayraktar 

Kızılelma (“red apple”), referring to an 

expression in Turkish mythology that 

symbolizes goals, ideas or dreams that are 

far away, but are more attractive the further 

that distance may be. 

Making the first national UAV export in 

2012, Baykar signed contracts with 21 

countries for the Bayraktar TB2, the battleproven 

drone used in Syria, Libya, Karabakh 

and Ukraine. An export contract was signed 

with three countries for the Bayraktar Akıncı 

as well, which was delivered to the Turkish 

Armed Forces (TSK) most recently. Within 

the scope of the contracts, the Bayraktar 

Akıncı and ground systems are expected 

to be delivered periodically starting from 

2023. Baykar continues to conduct export 

negotiations with a number of countries for 

the Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar Akıncı. 


BMW seeks 

new ways to 

minimize natural 

gas dependence 

BMW is exploring new energy investments, 

including solar, geothermal and hydrogen, 

to lower its dependence on natural gas, the 

carmaker’s production chief told, warning 

an embargo on Russian gas would bring the 

industry to a standstill. 

The carmaker, which relied on natural gas 

for 54% of its energy consumption in 2021, 

is examining where it can add solar panels 

to its plants and developing plans with local 

authorities to transport hydrogen to its 

plant in Leipzig, Germany. 

“Hydrogen is very well-suited to lower or 

even fully compensate for gas demand,” 

Milan Nedeljkovic said. 

“Our industry accounts for around 37% 

of German natural gas consumption,” he 

said when asked what would happen to 

BMW’s plants in the event of a halt to gas 

deliveries from Russia. “Not just BMW 

but the entire sector would come to a 

standstill.” 

BMW’s plans reflect wider preparations 

underway across German industry to shift 

away from Russian gas and come up with 

a system to ration available supplies in the 

event of a sudden halt to deliveries. 

Beyond Germany, a new plant in Hungary’s 

Debrecen, which BMW has said will be the 

world’s first auto factory to run entirely 

without fossil fuels, will rely heavily on 

solar, Nedelkjovic said, adding that the 

carmaker was also looking into using 

geothermal energy. 

Geothermal power is more stable than 

weather-dependent renewables but has 

not seen growth or investment comparable 

to wind or solar partly due to high upfront 

costs and complex licensing processes for 

drilling. 

Asked about the potential of nuclear 

energy, which accounts for around half 

of Hungary’s energy supply but is being 

phased out in Germany, Nedeljkovic said: 

“Nuclear energy can be a stabilizing factor, 

particularly in these volatile times. For our 

own production, we rely on regenerative 

energy sources.” 


Polygiene BioMaster technology helps 

power electric car sales 

Chinese Electric car manufacturer, NIO, is 

hoping to continue to be a leader in the 

automotive industry by providing longlasting 

inbuilt surface protection before 

their cars leave the production line with 

Polygiene BioMasterTM antimicrobial 

technology. 

Polygiene BioMaster inhibits the build-up 

of microbes on surfaces between cleans 

keeping car interiors fresher and more 

hygienic. The surface protection lasts 24/7 

for the lifetime of the vehicle and can be 

applied to almost any substrate without 

compromising the structural integrity of 

the end-product. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 

awareness of the importance of keeping 

surfaces free of microbes has been sharper 

than ever, so it’s little surprise that car 

owners are among those keen to ensure 

that their vehicle cabins are as clean as 

they possibly can be. 

Car interiors are generally cleaned less 

frequently than other surfaces and areas 

of our day-to-day life. A recent study found 

that some items in almost every modern 

car, including cup-holders, seat belts and 

dashboard buttons are potential hot-spots 

for bacteria. Swabs showed between 

100-200 individual bacterial types and the 

most heavily contaminated samples had 

between 2,000 and 4,000 live bacteria 

per swab. (Professor John Ward from the 

department of biochemical engineering at 

University College London) 

Initially, trials have been successful in 

incorporating Polygiene BioMaster coatings 

into NIO Haptex seats. Further trials are 

being extended to other potential hotspots 

including handles and steering 

wheels. 

The car manufacturer, with headquarters 

in Shanghai, specializes in designing and 

developing driverless electric vehicles. The 

NIO brand is considered to be one of the 

most viable electric vehicle pioneers and 

some industry experts predict it will soon 

be seen as a global leader alongside brands 

such as Tesla. 

Among the models containing Polygiene 

BioMaster technology will be the NIO ET7 

- NIO’s first saloon, a direct Tesla Model 

S rival, the top-of-the-line model has a 

ginormous 150kWh battery pack, with a 

combined 641bhp from its twin e-motors 

powertrain, 0-62mph takes 3.9 seconds. 

Dahai Meng, Head of Environmental & 

Material at NIO says, “In order to give 

our users a more pleasant, hygienic, and 

comfortable driving experience, ET7 uses 

silver ion antibacterial additives on the 

PU leather seats. Polygiene BioMaster 

technology is the silver lining that will help 

NIO win in the future”. 

“This is a breakthrough in the transport 

category which we now are heavily 

investing in. The automotive industry is 

a very interesting area with huge growth 

potential, and to start working with one of 

the most innovative cars of the future, is 

an important milestone for us”, says Ulrika 

Björk, CEO of Polygiene. 


Japan’s Nissan plans 

‘game changing’ 

electric car batteries 

Nissan is working with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA) on a new type of battery for electric 

vehicles that promise to charge quicker and be lighter yet safe, 

the Japanese automaker said on April 8. 

The all-solid-state battery will replace the lithium-ion battery 

now in use for a 2028 product launch and a pilot plant launch 

in 2024, according to Nissan. 

The all-solid-state battery is stable enough to be used in 

pacemakers. When finished, it will be about half the size of the 

current battery and fully charge in 15 minutes, instead of a few 

hours. 

The collaboration with the U.S. space program, as well as 

the University of California San Diego, involves the testing of 

various materials, Corporate Vice President Kazuhiro Doi told 

reporters. 

“Both NASA and Nissan need the same kind of battery,” he 

said. The goal is to avoid the use of expensive materials like 

rare metals, which are needed for lithium-ion batteries. 

Nissan is also counting on its historical experience with the 

Leaf electric car, which first hit the market in 2010 and has sold 

more than half a million units globally, although the battery 

technology is different. 

Other automakers, including Japanese rival Toyota Motor 

Corp., as well as Volkswagen of Germany and U.S. automakers 

Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., are working on allsolid-state 

batteries. 

Recently, General Motors and Japanese automaker Honda 

Motor Co. said they were working together on next-generation 

electric vehicles. 

But Nissan Executive Vice President Kunio Nakaguro said 

Nissan is extremely competitive and that the battery it is 

developing promises to be “a game-changer. 

JULY 2022

Turkey to 

complete 

domestically 

made submarine 

in 6 months 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that 

Turkey expects to complete and deliver 

the domestically made submarines to the 

Turkish Naval Forces Command within five 

to six months. 

Speaking at a ceremony for the docking 

of the Hızır Reis submarine and the first 

welding of the Selman Reis submarine at 

Gölcük Shipyard Command in northwestern 

Kocaeli province, the president said 

Turkey aims to take into service a new 

domestically made submarine each 

year, to ensure that the navy has six new 

submarines by 2027. 

“Our submarines, which weigh 1,856 

tons above water and 2,042 tons when 

submerged, can go to a depth of more than 

300 meters. Our submarines, which can 

operate for three days underwater, can stay 

in water for 12 weeks without the need 

for resupply. The submarines, which are 

equipped with effective weapons against 

underwater, surface and land targets, 

have the ability to launch various types of 

torpedoes, missiles, and mines. We are 

also integrating our national torpedo Akya 

and our national anti-ship missile Atmaca 

into our submarines with air-independent 

propulsion capability,” Erdoğan said. 

The president added that the Hızır Reis 

submarine will be put into service in 2023 

and the Selman Reis in 2027. 

“Starting from this year, we will put one of 

our submarines into service every year, and 

we will add six new type submarines to our 

navy until 2027.” 

“We have realized many projects that 

will render our navy stronger and more 

deterrent for the security of the Blue 

Homeland,” Erdoğan added. 

“Nearly 30 domestic companies of ours 

have assumed responsibility in this critical 

project with their designs and productions 

for submarine platforms and underwater 

technology. Moreover, many other 

companies of ours are contributing as 

subcontractors to the production process 

of our submarines. I thank on behalf 

of myself and my nation all who have 

contributed to the production of these 

submarines that will add to our strength in 

seas,” the president said. 

Erdoğan also highlighted the recent boost 

in Turkey’s defense industry, saying that 

the reliance on external sources has been 

minimized. 

“While the foreign dependency in the 

defense industry was 80% when we took 

office, we have today reached a domestic 

and national production rate of over 70%. 

We are currently carrying out more than 

750 defense industry projects half of 

which we have launched in the past five 

years. We have realized many projects 

that will render our navy stronger and 

more deterrent for the security of the Blue 

Homeland,” he added. 

The president also added that Turkey’s 

preparations for the domestically designed 

submarine, MILGEM, which is expected 

to be built with mostly domestically 

developed systems also continues. “We 

will begin building the MILGEM in 2025 in 

Gölcük Shipyard,” he said. 

The MILGEM (National Ship) marine 

platforms project is a Turkish warship 

program that aims to develop multipurpose 

corvettes and frigates that can be deployed 

in a range of missions. 

These include reconnaissance, surveillance, 

early warning, anti-submarine warfare, 

surface-to-surface and surface-to-air 

warfare, and amphibious operations. 


Hyundai pledges to invest more 

than $10B in US up to 2025 

South Korean carmaker Hyundai pledged 

it would invest an additional $5 billion in 

the United States by 2025 to strengthen 

collaboration with U.S. firms in advanced 

technology. The announcement came 

as President Joe Biden tended to both 

business and security interests, as he 

wrapped up a three-day trip to South 

Korea. The investments are for robotics, 

urban air mobility, autonomous driving and 

artificial intelligence, the group said. 

Hyundai Motor Group, which houses 

Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp, announced 

plans to invest $5.5 billion in Georgia to 

build electric vehicle (EV) and battery 

facilities. The new investment brings 

its planned U.S. total through 2025 to 

about $10 billion, above the $7.4 billion it 

announced last year. The world’s thirdbiggest 

automaker by vehicles sales did 

not say where in the United States the 

additional $5 billion would be invested. 

At a time of high inflation and simmering 

dissatisfaction at home, Biden emphasized 

his global mission to strengthen the 

American economy by convincing foreign 

companies like Hyundai to launch new 

operations in the U.S. 

“Thanks to Hyundai, we are being part 

of this transformative automobile sector 

and accelerating us on a road where we’re 

going to be handing to the United States 

of all-electric future,” Biden told a news 

conference. 

“Electric vehicles are good for our climate 

goals, but they’re also good for jobs,” he 

said. “And they’re good for business.” 

Standing next to him after a meeting, 

Hyundai Motor Group chairperson Euisun 

Chung said, “I am confident that this new 

plant in Georgia will help us become a 

leader in the American automobile industry 

with regards to building high-quality 

electric vehicles for our U.S. customers.” 

The auto group said it would invest 21 

trillion won ($16 billion) through 2030 to 

expand its EV business in South Korea. 

The major U.S. investment by a South 

Korean company was a reflection of 

how the countries are leveraging their 

longstanding military ties into a broader 

economic partnership. 

Earlier in his trip, Biden toured a computer 

chip plant run by Samsung, the Korean 

electronics giant that plans to build a $17 

billion production facility in Texas. 

Biden has made greater economic 

cooperation with South Korea a priority, 

saying that “it will bring our two countries 

even closer together, cooperating even 

more closely than we already do, and help 

strengthen our supply chains, secure them 

against shocks and give our economies a 

competitive edge.” 

The pandemic and Russia’s invasion 

of Ukraine in February have forced a 

deeper rethinking of national security 

and economic alliances. Coronavirus 

outbreaks led to shortages of computer 

chips, autos and other goods that the 

Biden administration says can ultimately 

be fixed by having more manufacturing 

domestically and with trusted allies. 

Hyundai’s Georgia factory is expected to 

employ 8,100 workers and produce up 

to 300,000 vehicles annually, with plans 

for construction to begin early next year 

and production to start in 2025 near the 

unincorporated town of Ellabell. 

A senior Biden administration official, 

who briefed reporters on the condition of 

anonymity, said there was no contradiction 

between Biden encouraging investors 

to embrace union workforces while his 

administration does “whatever it can” to 

encourage investment and bring jobs to 

the U.S.

Automotiv Exports July 2022

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