The number of electric vehicle charging stations in Turkiye increased to 3 thousand 790, and the number of charging points (sockets) to 8 thousand 1.
According to the information received by the AA correspondent from the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA), EMRA’s regulatory activities for establishing a free market with adequate and sustainable electric vehicle charging infrastructure did not slow down this year as well.
Before the formation of the legal infrastructure for charging service activities, only 5 companies were operating in the market, while the number of charging network operator license holders increased to 132.
The number of charging stations across Turkiye, which was 1719 at the beginning of this year, increased to 3,790, and the number of charging points (sockets) from 3,081 to 8,01.
According to the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), as of the end of June 2023, there are 27 thousand 476 rechargeable electric vehicles in Turkiye. At 3,790 charging stations, which currently provide charging services, 6,112 alternating current (AC) and 1889 direct current (DC) charging points (sockets) serve these vehicles.
Turkiye is at the forefront in the number of charging services in the EU
Compared to EU countries, Turkiye ranks high in Europe in the number of charging points per vehicle.
Turkiye ranks 2nd in Europe in terms of AC charging points, 3rd in terms of DC charging points, and 2nd in terms of total charging points.
As of June this year, there is 1 socket for every 3.5 electric vehicles in Turkiye. This rate is calculated as 1 socket per 13 vehicles on average across EU countries. Accordingly, the electric vehicle market and charging network infrastructure in Turkiye are developing rapidly.
According to EMRA data, in the distribution of charging points by province, Istanbul stands out with 2,200 charging points. After Istanbul, Ankara has 822, Antalya 682, Izmir 402, Bursa 357, Mugla 314, Kayseri 254, Konya 247, Eskisehir 178 and Afyonkarahisar 140 charging points.
While it is seen that the existing charging points in Turkiye are clustered in regions where the population is concentrated, especially in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and İzmir, public charging points in all 81 provinces of Turkiye serve electric vehicle owners.
It is expected that the increase in the number of charging points across the country will continue with the increase in the number of charging network operator license holders and the support and incentives provided in this area.
EMRA application “sarj@tr” offers convenience in finding a charging point
EMRA’s “Free Access Platform-Charge@TR” program provides convenience to electric vehicle users as an up-to-date and secure mobile support application where charging services for electric vehicles can be viewed on the basis of sockets and stations.
The geographical locations of public charging stations, the number of charging units and sockets, their types and powers, payment methods, availability and charging service prices are available to electric vehicle users via the sarj@TR application.
In his evaluation on the subject, EMRA Chairman Mustafa Yilmaz stated that the electric vehicle market and charging network in Turkiye are developing rapidly, and said, “We are paving the way for our investors in this process and we are making the necessary arrangements for a market where the highest quality service will be provided to our consumers. We particularly recommend electric vehicle owners to use the sarj@tr application developed by our institution. So they can travel safely without worrying about ‘I run out of battery on the road’.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz