TEMSA, the leading brand of Turkey bus market, and ASELSAN, the leading institution of Turkish Defense Industry, has joined their forces. The two institutions have developed the first 100% domestic-production electric bus, of Turkish Automotive Industry: the Avenue EV.
The Avenue EV draws attention with its environment-friendly and innovative features, and it was introduced with the participation of Dr. Faruk Özlü, the Minister of Science, Industry and Technology; Zafer Kurtul, the CEO of Sabancı Holding; Orhan Akbaş, General Manager of Turkish Armed Forces Foundation; Dr. Murat Üçüncü, Vice President of the Executive Board of ASELSAN; Mehmet Hacıkamiloğlu, Industry Group President of Sabancı Holding; Dinçer Çelik, TEMSA General Manager; Dr. Faik Eken, ASELSAN General Manager, and Y. Suat Bengür, Deputy General Manager of ASELSAN.
TEMSA, a part of Sabancı Holding and one of the leading automotive companies, cooperated with ASELSAN, the institution of Turkish Armed Forces Foundation and the leading defense industry company of Turkey, in order to develop the innovative electric bus Avenue EV, and they shared the prominent features of Avenue EV with their guests at the press conference held in the Sabancı Center on November 7th.
Fully charged in 8 minutes
Avenue EV was developed with an ecological approach, considering the global requirements. The vehicle is runs on electricity, a sustainable energy source, instead of fossil fuels. It offers non-stop service with fast charging at bus stops thanks to its feature of rapid charging that enables full-charge in 8 minutes. The environment-friendly bus with zero carbon emission and an electrical drive system is a silent and comfortable vehicle. It, offers high performance and it is equipped with high technology features. The passenger compartment provides comfortable travel with its air-conditioning system in cold or hot weather conditions. It also offers the option of built-in Internet and data connection. The Avenue EV can carry 35 sitting, 52 standing and 1 wheel-chaired passengers. The Avenue EV has a large interior volume and can serve for long periods without maintenance thanks to the high-efficiency, slight and 100 percent domestic electrical transaction system developed by ASELSAN. The vehicle can travel 50 to 70 kms with a single charge.
TEMSA is our source of pride
The CEO of Sabancı Holding, Zafer Kurtul: "We take pride that innovative and comfortable TEMSA-branded vehicles developed by Turkish engineers are exported to 66 different countries. TEMSA Bus R&D Center, one of the benchmarks among 243 R&D centers established throughout Turkey, is a great source of proud for the Sabancı Group. Innovation and R&D are the two most important issues for the Sabancı Group... Our highest priority is to add value to our country, environment, business partners and employees in each industry we operate. With this understanding, we are proud of cooperating with the companies having the same approach with us. Here it is, the 100 percent domestic Avenue EV, developed with the collaborative effort of TEMSA and ASELSAN, suitable for modern cities, and considered as a product of high-technology and a clean, silent solution for urban public transportation. Developed exclusively by Turkish engineers, this bus attracts attention with its high-efficiency, slight and 100 percent domestic drive system. This successful cooperation makes us proud."
ASELSAN does what cannot be done in Turkey
Dr. Faik Eken, General Manager of ASELSAN: "We, as ASELSAN, have focused on achieving what cannot be done in Turkey since it was established 41 years ago. ASELSAN has designed the original electrical motor, motor drive unit, vehicle control unit, drive indicator panel, power control units, and vehicle battery management system with more than 10 domestic subcontractors and obtained the opportunity of domestic production. This electric bus offers the opportunity to charge the batteries rapidly with a new technique, and the vehicles can be fully charged in a very short time at the bus stops on their routes. This project serves as a significant example demonstrating that Turkey will be able to develop its own electric vehicles, buses and automobiles."
We work to increase the export rate of TEMSA to 80%
Mehmet Hacıkamiloğlu, the Industry Group President of Sabancı Holding, says their industry group is in competition with global companies: "We deliver our products to our customers living in many countries, from Indonesia to the USA. We accomplish this with a sense of national mission and responsibility. Because we believe and trust in Turkey. We call ourselves the Sabancı of Turkey. We know that Turkey can be competitive with value-added production and we work for it. We invest USD 400 million every year. We are very proud of offering this product, the work of Turkish engineers, to our customers. We hope that our product will have a place in the global markets and carry the flag of TEMSA higher. We are working heartily to increase the export rate of TEMSA from 50% to 80% in the near future. We will achieve this with value-added products like the one we have launched today."
ASELSAN-TEMSA cooperation announces the beginning of a new era
Dinçer Çelik, TEMSA General Manager: "I am very pleased and I am proud of being the general manager of a company that produces the first 100% domestic electric bus and announces the beginning of a new era in the Turkish automotive industry. We have developed this high-performance and new generation Avenue EV together with ASELSAN, the leading institution of Turkish Defense Industry. The two leading institutions worked in great harmony in this project. Our collaboration will not stop with the production of this electric bus; we will continue to develop environment-friendly products for a sustainable world." Çelik also briefed the guests about the prominent features of Avenue EV.
The Avenue EV will bring a new breath to our cities
Dinçer Çelik expressed the following about the product specifications: "As the cities are getting more crowded and the requirements of transportation are increasing each day, environment-friendly means of transportation becomes more important. To create a cleaner world, we are putting our innovative and environment-friendly products into use with haste. The Avenue EV we introduce today, is a high performing, efficient and environment-friendly electric bus we have developed jointly with ASELSAN. The most important feature that differentiates the Avenue EV produced by one hundred percent domestic technology is that it can be charged in only 8 minutes and can travel a long distance. It can deliver an outstanding performance in all road conditions thanks to its simple design and low maintenance requirements. It is a silent, comfortable and efficient bus that can accommodate more passengers with a larger interior volume. I am proud of announcing a product that will bring a new breath to cities and contribute to reduction of noise and environmental pollution."
ASELSAN developed a domestic electrical drive system for this project
Deputy General Manager of ASELSAN and Head of Transportation, Security, Energy, Automation, and Health Systems (UGES) Business Sector, Y. Suat Bengür introduced the polyphase motor and motor drive, vehicle control computer, High Power Distribution Unit and DC/DC converter units which constitute the domestic electric drive system developed by ASELSAN to the participants of the launch event. Bengür expressed that he was pleased with the harmony captured in the project carried out together with TEMSA, and stated that they have planned to work together on other projects in which ASELSAN drive systems will be used.