Turkey has started building its first battery plant.

Turkey has recently initiated the establishment of a specialized facility aimed at the manufacturing of batteries, with the primary purpose of providing power to its inaugural domestically produced vehicle. In addition, this endeavor also seeks to facilitate progress in the realm of energy storage solutions.

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, addressing a gathering in Gemlik, located within the northwestern province of Bursa, expressed the government's vision for Turkey to serve as a pivotal production hub in Europe for electric vehicle technologies, encompassing charging infrastructure, battery production, and electric vehicles.

Gemlik, known for its significant port facilities and hosting the assembly plant of Turkey's inaugural domestically-produced car brand, Togg, is the site where the Siro plant, a collaborative effort between Togg and the Chinese electric vehicle battery manufacturer Farasis, is scheduled to commence production in 2024, as confirmed by President Erdo?an.

Togg and Farasis had entered into an agreement in October 2020, outlining the construction of a lithium-ion battery factory. Established a year later, Siro is positioned to provide battery solutions for the automotive sector and storage solutions applicable to renewable energy, power grids, charging infrastructure, and residential buildings.

Siro is poised to emerge as a major player in the field, boasting an initial annual production capacity of 20 gigawatt-hours (GWh), inclusive of battery cells. Its initial focus will be on the development and production of battery modules and packs.

The Siro Battery Development and Production Campus, to be established on a 607,000 square meter site adjacent to Togg's production facility in Bursa, is slated to escalate its annual production capacity to 50 GWh by 2035.

President Erdo?an underscored that this investment significantly fortifies Turkey's position in the realm of battery technologies and envisions the campus evolving into an integrated center for the production of high-nickel battery modules and packs, encompassing battery cells, by 2026.

Siro has aspirations to export its energy storage solutions to 120 countries worldwide, signifying a global reach for Turkey's battery manufacturing capabilities.

Notably, President Erdo?an's vision to establish Turkey's first national automobile is coming to fruition, exemplifying his ambition to bolster Turkey's standing in the global economy.

Togg has successfully initiated mass production of its T10X, a C-segment SUV, in the previous October and recently commenced deliveries. The T10X offers options of battery packs with capacities of 52.4 and 88.5 kilowatt-hours, providing impressive driving ranges of 314 and 523 kilometers (195 and 325 miles), respectively. These batteries are adept at fast charging, replenishing up to 80% from 20% in less than 28 minutes at fast-charging stations.

The vehicle's production is a result of collaboration among a consortium of five Turkish companies known as the Automobile Initiative Group of Turkey, or Togg, in partnership with the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB).

In President Erdo?an's words, Togg is more than just a car brand; it represents a technological initiative, encompassing aspects of design and software. The foray into battery technology marks a significant milestone, with these batteries suitable for applications beyond Togg, extending to various industries.

Furthermore, Togg is poised to diversify its offerings, with plans to manufacture four additional models by 2030, covering sedan, C-hatchback, B-SUV, and B-MPV categories, following the mass production of the SUV.

The current annual production capacity stands at approximately 100,000 vehicles, with expectations of reaching 175,000 vehicles upon the full utilization of Togg's production facility. President Erdo?an revealed that approximately 28,000 units are scheduled for production this year, while the brand aspires to manufacture one million vehicles across these five segments by 2030.

Notably, exports of Togg vehicles are expected to commence in 2025, initially focusing on the domestic market for the initial production phase.