Turkish buses attract the attention of visitors to an exhibition in Germany

Turkish bus producers participated in the “BUS2BUS” exhibition in Berlin, Germany, where they displayed the latest buses developed within the framework of the “environmentally friendly electric buses” vision.

Bus companies from different countries of the world displayed their electric vehicles at the exhibition, which featured electric cars and self-driving cars.

Within the framework of the “smart mobility” vision, the exhibition witnessed the presentation of vehicles running on alternative fuels, especially electricity and hydrogen, as well as high-tech charging systems.

Turkish electric bus manufacturers have drawn attention with their success in the exhibition, which is one of the most important events in the European bus market.

The companies Karsan, TEMSA, Otokar and Anadolu Isuzu participated in Turkey.

$30 export value per kilogram of electric vehicles.

Turkey is the largest producer of commercial vehicles in Europe and TEMSA is one of the leading companies in the field of buses and mass transit, said Tülga Han Dogancioglu, CEO of TEMSA.

Dogancioglu added that they participated in the exhibition with the sister company Skoda, and that they showed officials from the German market their 9 and 12-meter electric cars, stressing that they seek to be leaders in Germany with their electric vehicles.

He explained that there are great opportunities available to Turkey with international companies moving their production centers to geographically close areas after the Covid-19 epidemic, and that Turkey is a developed country in the production of commercial vehicles and has great advantages for the production of environmentally friendly buses.

He stated that the climate summit held recently in Glasgow, Scotland, resulted in the participating countries, including Turkey, agreeing that a third of commercial vehicles will be environmentally friendly by 2030 and that all of them will be environmentally friendly by 2040.

He pointed out that TEMSA is developing all its plans in order that half of its production in 2025 will be zero-emission vehicles that run on electricity or environmentally friendly fuels.

Dogancioglu stressed that TEMSA is an export-oriented company, and that 70 percent of the company’s products are exported to 66 countries.

He continued, “The average value of one kilogram of total Turkish exports is about 1.5-2 dollars, while the value of one kilogram of exports of the automotive sector ranges between 10-20 dollars.”

He added, “The value is up to $30 in electric vehicles, so the company is trying to provide products with high added value to contribute to the country’s economy.”

Çağdash Adyka, Export Director of Karsan Group, said that “Bus to Bus” is the first European fair they have participated in since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic.

He pointed out that the exhibition is an important event in which European bus manufacturers display their latest products that have the latest technologies.

He pointed out that the exhibition provided them with the opportunity to exchange information with municipalities, companies and European institutions.

Adyka stated that Turkey is a hub for bus production in Europe and that half of the buses exported to the old continent are produced in Turkey, noting that the latter controls the European market in this field in terms of production.

He added that Turkish bus manufacturers, including Karsan, are investing in future technologies and that they have completed their first steps with regard to manufacturing electric vehicles and have started investing in self-driving vehicles.

He stated that Karsan has exported more than 300 electric buses to date.

On the other hand, Murat Dadaoglu, director of international sales for Anadolu Isuzu, said that there is a growing interest in electric, hydrogen and autonomous vehicles.

He stated that they displayed all-electric NovoCITI Volt vehicles at the exhibition, which are vehicles that the company exports to France and aims to sell in Germany.

He added, “Only electric buses will be allowed to enter the centers of major European cities from 2025, and this will be applied even more after 2030, so the shift in bus production is inevitable and we seek to be part of this transformation.”

Dadaoglu stressed that the rate of production and export of buses is increasing annually in Turkey, noting that the main market for the company’s exports is France, but they are seeking growth in other markets in multiple countries.

Turkish producers will increase their market share in the long run

Hakan Bubek, Director of Marketing and International Sales at Autocar, said that they have returned to the bus sector after an absence of three years and that they are participating in the exhibition this time with eco-friendly e-Centro vehicles and a 12-meter electric bus for urban transportation.

He added that they expect a significant increase in the sales of alternative fuel vehicles over the next five years, noting that Autocar has converted its mass transit buses from regular fuel to natural gas and to electric buses.

He explained that Turkey is today an important center for the production of buses, as it exports them to Europe, the United States and many countries of the world. Therefore, the Turkish bus producing companies will increase their share in the global market during the coming period.