At a time when much of the focus on the challenges facing the European—and particularly the German—car industry is on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) entering the EU market, Handelsblatt reporters have uncovered a true gem of cross-border learning and people exchange: the launch of a competitive Turkish EV from Togg (“Turkey’s Automobile Development Group”).
This ambitious effort has long been championed by Turkey’s President Erdogan and is spearheaded by Gürcan Karakas. Originally recruited in the early 1990s by the world’s largest automotive supplier, Germany-based Bosch, Karakas transitioned from a mechanical engineering researcher at the Technical University in Ankara to an impressive career at Bosch. In 2018, he made a pivotal decision to join the Turkish automotive group Togg to lead the development of a modern electric car.
As chief designer for the Togg models, Karakas brought on board Murat Günak, a veteran designer who previously worked as chief designer at Volkswagen and also designed cars for Mercedes. Along with preparing for the EV rollout, Togg invested €100 million to establish more than 1,000 charging points across Turkey.
Karakas, having embraced the traditions of German efficiency throughout much of his career, now wonders why German car manufacturers have not made similar strides in creating a nationwide charging network in Germany.
With the Togg EV now launched in Germany, questions arise about how the Turkish manufacturer will provide servicing for its vehicles there. The answer is unsurprising: according to the report, Karakas has secured Bosch—his long-time former employer—to handle the servicing tasks in Germany.
This collaboration highlights a fascinating example of cross-border cooperation, blending Turkish innovation with German engineering expertise to advance the EV market in Europe.
https://www.theglobalist.com/a-truly-globalist-y-story-from-turkey-with-german-connections/