Turkey Starts Constructing Its First EV Battery Facility

Siro, a joint venture between Turkish electric vehicle manufacturer TOGG and Chinese battery producer Farasis, has laid the groundwork for its manufacturing facility in Gemlik, near Bursa. The plant will be used to manufacture batteries for the Togg T10X, Turkey’s first domestically produced automobile.

Top government officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were there to mark the beginning of construction in Gemlik in the country’s northwest. According to the company, the plant is expected to initially have a capacity of 20 GWh and increase to more than 50 GWh by 2035. In the future, the facility will expand to other segments as well.

Located right next to Togg’s car plant, the new factory is planned to supply modules and packs for T10X electric SUV, which has already clocked 177,500 orders since its order bookings were initiated last month. Around 28,000 units of the Togg T10X are expected to be produced before the end of this year.

Speaking at the groundbreaking event, Erdogan asserted that Siro would boost Turkey’s economy by 30 billion euros over the following ten years and allow for a 10 billion euro reduction in the current account deficit. The battery supplier stated that it intended to install charging devices as well as dominate the market for stationary batteries for utilities, power grids, and the residential sector.

The area of the Gemlik factory covers 61 hectares. Siro claimed that it would employ 7,000 people full-time and export its products to 120 different countries. In addition to the T10X SUV, Togg plans to release 5 more electric vehicles, including a C-segment sedan, which will be the subsequent model to be revealed.