Ford Otosan, a JV between US automaker Ford and Türkiye's Koç Group, and also the number one commercial vehicle manufacturer in Türkiye and Europe, has unveiled its first electric commercial vehicle (ECV), the E-Transit, at its Gölcük factory, with the participation of Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, Investment Office President A. Burak Dağlıoğlu, and Ford Otosan Chairman Ali Koç.
“The electric transit vehicle, slated for exports to Europe, is getting off the ground today," announced Minister Varank in his opening speech, marking a significant milestone in a-10 year project. “This is the first phase of the EUR 2 billion investment announced by our President last year. Ford Otosan's capacity will thus expand from 455,000 to 650,000 vehicles while an additional 18,000 jobs will be created. Rather than resisting the transformation, Türkiye is trying to adapt to it. We did it with UAVs and UCAVs in the defense sector. We are leading the transformation with our expanding infrastructure and qualified human resources in the automotive sector. Electric vehicles will account for 30 percent of all sales by 2030, and we are trying to get the lion's share of the cake," Varank was quoted as saying.
For his part, Ali Koç pledged, “We will continue to build the future, step by step, together with our partners. We are committed to reducing carbon emissions per vehicle by 50-55 percent by 2030 in line with the Climate Change Action Plan. Our ultimate goal is to become carbon neutral. We are all set for the Green Deal. The Koç Group will continue to invest, trust, and produce in Türkiye, regardless of the circumstances."
Ford Otosan's all-electric E-Transit also received a Gold Award from independent vehicle safety authority Euro NCAP for its advanced suite of driver assistance systems. The latest award means that Ford now offers the only two vehicles in the two-tonne segment with Euro NCAP's Gold Award for driver assistance, following the E-Transit's diesel-powered sister Transit models.
Ford Transit has been produced by Ford Otosan since 1967 and proudly continues to be the commercial vehicle of choice in Türkiye and Europe. Its new, all-electric version has a prominent place within Ford's electrification strategy.