Electric car

China's meteoric rise as the world's powerhouse of electric vehicle production makes Western efforts to curb their exports a tough sell and means they could even stifle the fight against climate change, analysts warn.

Türkiye is in close dialogue with Chinese automaker Chery on an automobile investment and has reached the final stages of the process, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır has said.

The minister, however, did not provide other details.

Outside an Audi factory in Brussels described by the German carmaker as the "cradle" of its electric drive, around 200 picketing workers huddled around a bonfire in the morning drizzle.

The firm is considering closing the plant, a move that analysts say is symptomatic of the troubles afflicting Europe's wider electric car industry, amid low demand and competition from China.

Carmaker Stellantis has said it would halt production of the electric version of its emblematic Fiat 500 in Italy due to weak demand, a move that comes as EV sales have slowed in Europe.

Growth in electric vehicles has stalled in many European countries, in part due to expiration of government incentives.

High mobility is one of the characteristics of our demanding times. Short and long journeys, daily commutes to work, the gym, the kids’ school and beyond make the car a valuable tool that takes the strain off our hands. In these circumstances, apart from the financial cost, we have to take into account the impact on the environment which, as we know, is endangered by human activity.

Turkish electric car producer Togg said Thursday that engineering tests have begun on its fully electric fastback sedan at accredited centers in Türkiye and abroad.

The company is working tirelessly to bring the car, which was previewed on Dec. 27 and introduced under the name T10F, to users, said Togg's Chief Executive Officer Mehmet Gürcan Karakaş.

Electromobility Research

After a prolonged period of accelerated growth, the electric car market appears to be slowing down. Sales growth rates are decreasing, as shown by statistics in a multitude of countries worldwide, except China, which is a world of its own.

Automakers that have invested particularly large amounts of capital in the development, deployment and manufactureof pure electric cars are being forced to rethink their planning after sales of zero-emission cars plummeted.

The European Union has warned it would slap additional tariffs of up to 38 percent on Chinese electric car imports from next month after an anti-subsidy probe, a move that risks provoking a bitter trade war.

Brussels angered Beijing by launching the investigation last year in a bid to defend European manufacturers in the face of a surge of cheaper Chinese imports.

The European Commission told automakers on Wednesday it would impose extra duties of up to 38.1% on imported Chinese electric cars from July, risking retaliation from Beijing which called the move protectionist.