Economists say Turkey’s Togg too cumbersome

Turkey’s first domestically-built electric car Togg will have bring more bothers than blessings, critics said in Turkey, after the first car was rolled out with a spectacular ceremony in its Bursa plant on Saturday which also marked the 99th anniversary of the foundation of Turkish Republic. 

Sozcu columnist Ege Cansen defined the project as a show-off which would be financed by the people. 

“This car will not be domestic except for its brand. Moreover, its burden will exceed its blessing and this burden will fall on the public, along with other show-offs,” he said.

Another Sozcu columnist Murat Muratoglu asked if it was possible for an automobile factory to survive, which began as an election promise of the ruling party, and all the promotion, production and sales were conducted by the same political party.

Muratoglu said he did not think the car could be exported, giving examples from Russia, China and India where projects have all failed competing in the world markets, he claimed.

“Togg will invest a total of 3.5 billion euros over 15 years while  Volkswagen's funds for autonomous driving and electric vehicles until 2025 are 73 billion euros,” he said. 

Muratoglu made a list of national brands unheard of before, saying Togg will be another brand on that list. “But now we have become a world leader,” he said with irony. 

Meanwhile, main opposition CHP’s (Republican People’s Party) deputy Zeynel Emre also denied the project was “local and national”.

“Its electric motor is produced by German Bosh, battery by Chinese, and its chassis by the British. We only assemble the car,” he said.