Turkish brand Togg launches new EV at CES

TURKISH start-up Togg has made its public debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week presenting its Transition Concept Smart Device (TCSD) – a low-slung five-door fastback – as one of five models it says it will launch before the end of the decade.

Technical details for the Pininfarina designed model have yet to be revealed, the company saying the modular underpinnings of the TCSD will be shared with similar sized hatch, sedan, SUV and MPV models in the near future – all using battery technology manufactured in-house via a strategic alliance with Chinese manufacturer, Farasis.

Speaking at the CES, Togg CEO Gürcan Karakaş said the model was capable of acceleration from standstill to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds and was developed in part from the contributions of focus groups and interviews with up to 2000 people.

Mr Karakaş said that the company plans to build one million vehicles before 2030.

“We are building Togg with a completely user-centric approach. If a product does not create user value, it will not survive,” Mr Karakaş explained.

“We are creating mobility solutions through a business model that is user-centric and data-driven. We are developing solutions that will enable a more comfortably mobility experience through the ecosystem, and that will grow around our smart device.”

The frontal styling of the TCSD shares design cues with Togg’s mid-sized electric SUV which was debuted in 2019 and is scheduled to enter production later this year. The illuminated Togg logo, meanwhile, is unique to the TCSD and according to Mr Karakaş represents the coming together of Eastern and Western cultures.

“The two arrows in the logo design represent the fusion of East and West, forming a gemstone in the centre (of the bonnet). Additionally, our logo emphasises that Togg is a technology company that connects technology and people at the juncture of today and tomorrow through its life-improving mobility solutions,” he added.

The cabin – which is accessed via pillarless suicide-style doors – features a sporty steering wheel, seating for four, and a large, horizontal-format digital instrument panel and infotainment screen. Décor elements reflect those of the brand’s gemstone badge, with diamond-shaped elements evident across the centre console and door cards.

Self-driving technology cues are also evident in the cockpit of the TCSD, but so far Togg has been quiet on its vehicle’s autonomous capabilities, saying simply that the vehicle is “user-centric, smart, empathetic, connected, autonomous, shared, and electric”.

It’s unclear when or if the TCSD will make it to the assembly line, Togg instead focussing its efforts on bringing a five-seat SUV to market early in 2023.

“After the homologation tests are completed in the first quarter of 2023, our first vehicle in the C segment, an SUV, will be on the market,” Mr Karakaş revealed.

Togg, or Türkiye'nin Otomobili Girişim Grubu, was established in 2018 under the leadership of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) as a joint venture between the Anadolu Group, BMC Turkey, Kök Group, Root Group, Turkcell and the Zorlu Group.

Each company has equal shares in the company with TOBB holding the remaining five per cent share.