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Turkey to produce first electric train

15 November 2021 17:00 (UTC+04:00)
Turkey to produce first electric train

By Vugar Khalilov

Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu has said that the country will produce its first domestic electric train soon, Yeni Shafak reported on November 14.

"Work has been completed for the production of the first national and domestic electric train with a design speed of 176 kilometers per hour and an operating speed of 160 kilometers. Our trains will be at the service of our citizens in a very short time," Karaismailoglu stressed.

He said that the government invested 212 billion liras ($21.2bn) in railway investments between 2003 and 2020 and emphasized the importance of trains in the green revolution.

Karaismailoglu stated that the whole existing railway network had been restored and that the length of the railway had been enlarged to 12,803 kilometers.

He added that the government is intensively working to make all of the railways with electric signals, noting that there are already 3,500 kilometers of railway lines under development.

Speaking about the urban railway transportation development, Karaismailoglu said that that the ministry has developed 312 kilometers of ecologically friendly railway systems.

He stated that among other transportation modes, railways are a very important transportation system in reducing carbon emissions.

"We will meet more than 50 percent of the energy consumed by the State Railways of the Republic of Turkey (TCDD) from renewable energy sources by 2025. As of 2021, some 5,753 kilometers, or 45 percent, of TCDD lines have been electrified," Karaismailoglu underlined.

The Paris Agreement, which seeks to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, went into effect in Turkey on November 10. The green revolution is predicted to have a significant impact on the country's economy, as well as the climate and environment.

Karaismailoglu also highlighted the ministry's vision for Turkey's green development revolution, as well as its policies and programs.

He stated that the ministry has undertaken investments in the areas of transportation, logistics, and digitization to ensure that people, cargo, and data may move freely.

"We are rapidly moving towards our green development goals with our high-level strategy documents for sustainable and smart transportation, green port, development of railway transportation, reduction of fuel consumption and emissions, and dissemination of micro-mobility vehicles," the minister emphasized.

He added that under the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan, the ministry aims to implement transportation infrastructures that will enable the integration of all transportation modes in a planned manner, to improve combined freight transportation opportunities and urban transportation infrastructure at the national and international level.

Under the Sustainable, Smart Mobility Strategy and Action Plan, which is still being worked on, the ministry develops strategies and policies that will make transportation systems suitable for current and future needs, to reduce transportation-oriented carbon emissions and encourage sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation types, Karaismailoglu underlined.

On the other hand, he stated that legislative studies are being conducted to aid in the phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles from urban environments, reducing dependence on oil and greenhouse gas emissions and that the government has issued regulations for the safe dissemination of the use of e-scooters.

Karaismailoglu stated that as the ministry made an important breakthrough in micro mobility vehicles and the Turkish Post now uses e-scooter vehicles in for deliveries.

"With our 100 electric scooters, which started operating in our distribution services in Istanbul in June of this year, a total of 446,739 shipments were delivered to their owners in three months. After the distribution process started with the e-scooter, 24,663 kilometers were covered in just one and half months. In a metropolis like Istanbul, I think it will have a significant positive impact on the delivery speed," he said.

Karaismailoglu underlined that the ministry is working on the transportation network that will enable short and medium-distance travels in cities by walking, scootering, bicycling, and public transit, while long-distance journeys can be made by shared electric automobiles and rail systems.

He also stated that the technical and administrative infrastructure necessary for increasing the use of electric vehicles and charging stations for them are underway.

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