Turkey suggests no licensing for electric vehicles charging stations

As an incentive to promote fully electric cars in the country, Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) recommends no licensing to be used for electric vehicle (EV) charging station. There are also hints that first Turkey’s fully electric homemade car could hit market in a foreseen future.

EMRA’s president Mustafa Yilmaz announced that according to the proposed legislation, drafted after the research of business models and regulations on charging stations worldwide had been done, Turkish electric vehicle (EV) charging stations can function without an operator’s license.

According to Anadolu Agency, the proposed model suggests that charging stations will not generate profits from electricity they sell but will receive a fee for their services.

All conventional car fuel suppliers in Turkey, regardless the fuel type, need to obtain licenses from EMRA in order to be able to do business. If this proposed regulation for electric cars passes, companies willing to provide services to electric vehicles would apply to the local electricity distribution company and would not need a contract since there would be no profit involved.

EMRA promised to post procedures and principles regarding electric vehicle charging stations on their website for public consultation until mid-December.

This move is expected to make a big difference in Turkish automotive market that has relatively high sales of hybrid vehicles. The electric vehicles haven’t been sold as expected and the main reason is a lack of charging stations in the country.

National Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Association recently announced that Turkey’s sales of fully electric and hybrid car increased by 805.6 percent to 2,763 in the first nine months of 2017, compared to 300 in first nine months of 2016. In the first nine months of last year, only 38 electric cars were purchased, while 46 electric cars were sold during the same period of 2017.

According to Anadolu Agency, Turkish consortium including Anadolu Group, BMC, Kiraca Holding, Turkcell, and Zorlu Holding will jointly manufacture Turkey’s first homemade car, which is set to be fully electric. No further information are available at the moment.