Turkey's first EV, the selfie-taking Togg T10X, is smart as it gets

Turkey is hardly known for its car industry but the innovative first electric SUV from the Bosphorus, packed with AI, selfie cameras and other high-tech features, has attracted a lot of attention both at home and abroad.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was given the keys to the first example from Turkey's Automobile Initiative Group (TOGG) and the debut shows that far off China is not thre only country that can compete with the big automotive boys in Europe and North America.

Togg said it plans to produce 1 million cars across five models using a single platform by 2030. Roughly following the format of the VW ID.4, Togg's T10X models are built at a factory in the northern city of Bursa.

The company has not yet named prices for the new SUV in its first Western European market, Germany, or other future markets, but in its home country, the Togg starts at 1.4 million lira, or currently around €40,000 or $43,000.

The 4.60 metre-long five-seater costs one and a half times as much as the Fiat Tipo, known as the Aegea in Turkey, which heads the Turkish registration table, and yet it's still gearing up to be a bestseller.

An initial 20,000 units of the first Turkish-grown car of modern times, which took six years to develop, were sold in 18 hours. Sales in 2023 stood at 5,604 units, about half of the top-selling Tesla Y.

Since domestic demand is set to remain buoyant, only a fraction of this year's 45,000 units will be available in Germany.

Unlike many bold new models, particularly from China, Togg has opted for a conservative shape for the car which Erdogan has called "a symbol of our country’s technological progress, economic development and global prestige."

The design comes from the pen of former VW chief designer Murat Günak yet despite the conventional dummy front grille and ordinary exterior proportions, the T10X is packed with pioneering technology.

It is not for nothing that the car uses a skateboard platform developed in-house, which provides a large amount of space and is equipped with future-proof hardware.

Togg assembles the batteries itself with a choice of 52.4 or 88.5 kWh for a range of up to 523 kilometres.

The charging power of 22 kW on alternating current and 180 kW on direct current puts many European competitors in the shade. Especially as Togg, like Tesla, is building its own charging network and has already ordered 1,000 Hyper Chargers for Turkey.

Togg buys in the electric motors from German electrotechnical giant Bosch. These come as standard with 160 kW/218 hp and produce 350 Nm of torque.

The power units are mounted individually on the rear axle or in a twin pack so that the T10X can also be driven in all-wheel drive. The range-topping version boasts 320 kW/435 hp and 700 Nm. It is enough to shift the SUV from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. Top speed is given as 185 km/h.

All the usual assistance and safety systems are on board, although these are nowhere near as fussy and irritating as those in many Far East and even luxury European models.

Togg has installed a screen in the cockpit that extends across the full width of the fascia and enables numerous brand new functions. This starts with the camera, which replaces an entry key with facial recognition and can also take selfies.

The radio also works with artificial intelligence. And instead of simply streaming music from the internet and paying high fees for it, you can let the Togg compose your very own soundtrack from 2,000 instrumental tracks in different genres.

This puts the newcomer from Turkey on a par with other automakers right from the outset.

Added to that, the car handles well on the road and offers a good choice of materials. Togg knows of course, that the world has not been waiting with bated breath for another electric SUV. That is why the firm markets the car as a more of smart device than mere daily transport on four wheels.

The on-board system even features its a digital ecosystem with its own currency. In Turkey, it's set to collaborate with the national airline, major energy suppliers and even the tax office.

This means owners can book flights, charge the battery or pay their taxes from the car using money or bonus points. Togg is currently looking for local partners outside of Turkey and is putting together a similar package so that the idea can work internationally.

Elegant, spacious, sophisticated and on a par with the VW ID.4, the Togg has already landed a big hit at home. The SUV is now poised to gain fans outside of Turkey. If the car manufacturer manages to export the idea of a digital ecosystem, then even Tesla will have to look up.

The only unknown is how the Togg will perform in safety simulations. Euro NCAP safety tests are still unavailable for the Togg, although company chief executive Gürcan Karakaş says the SUV will be bought independently by Euro NCAP officials for tests after its commercial release.

The Togg is certainly a far cry from the old Anadol, which just for the history books, was the badge of cars and pick-ups made by the Otosan Otomobil Sanayii in Istanbul between 1966 and 1991.