Turkey’s Automobile Enterprise Group (TOGG) Top Manager (CEO) Gürcan Karakaş stated that the crash tests of the domestic car continue, and said, “We optimize our vehicle, if necessary, in line with the reports we receive after each test. ” said.
Bursa Uludag University (BUU) Prof. Dr. Attending the 2021-2022 Academic Year opening ceremony held at the Mete Cengiz Cultural Center, Karakaş pointed out that there is a serious gap in cyber security in the digital world and recommended that young people focus on this issue.
Emphasizing that clean energy solutions are also an important issue apart from the internet of things and cyber security issues, Karakaş reminded that TOGG established a company with a foreign partner last week regarding clean energy solutions.
“Right investment at the right time”
Stating that there is a serious potential in the world at every point from the material of the vehicle to the vehicle integration and battery management systems, Karakaş said, “Three years ago, the installed lithium battery capacity in Europe was below 50 megawatts (MW) hours. Now it is over 600 and is going towards a thousand. “There is a chip crisis today. If the capacity gaps are not closed fast enough, there will be a cell crisis soon. Because electric vehicles are being converted so quickly that it seems a bit difficult to fill it now, but we know that we made the right investment at the right time.” We think.” he said.
Karakaş emphasized that they used all kinds of mathematical modeling, simulation and remote working methods to the fullest during the pandemic process.
Explaining that they developed the technical designs of the vehicle with common stakeholders, Karakaş said, “Sample and prototype studies are also continuing. In fact, studies including crash tests will continue in the coming days and we expect this process to continue until the end of February. There are also winter tests. In line with the reports we receive after each test, we optimize our vehicle if necessary. We don’t need it until now. We are quite happy in that sense.” he said.
“We will start mass production towards the end of next year”
Pointing out that there will not be only production in TOGG facilities, Karakaş said:
“We don’t just have production at our facility. I want to underline this. We said ‘the car requires more than the factory’ when we started the construction. We think of the design center as a center where our prototypes can be tested. We think of it as a place where we gather all our competencies under one roof. You can see that the roof and side panels of the paint shop are starting to close. In the coming days, equipment will begin to settle inside the facility. Our plan here is as follows, by the end of the year, most of the manufacturing part will be finished. After the equipment is completed until the middle of next year, all that remains is to prepare our vehicle for production on the basis of stations and lines. Here, too, we proceed as planned. We will start mass production towards the end of next year.”
Karakaş added that they are not currently hiring new graduates from universities within the scope of TOGG, but that there may be recruitments for new graduates and interns in the future.
BUU Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Saim Guide also stated that universities should not be a university that turns its back on the society, but a university that is a member of the society and fulfills the task of the collective wisdom of the society.
After the speeches, Bursa Governor Yakup Canbolat and Rector Guide presented a plaque and flowers to Karakaş.
Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Alinur Aktaş, deputies, mayors, academics and students attended the ceremony.
