EBRD is helping Turkey to expand EV charging infrastructure: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing Turkey's main electricity distributor Enerjisa Enerji S.A. with a USD 110 mn loan to support an expansion of the country’s EV charging infrastructure, according to a statement.

What’s planned: Enerjisa will update its power distribution network with smart-grid applications and extend its EV charging infrastructure as part of a wider capital investment program the nation’s energy regulator has approved, the statement notes. The investment will also enable Enerjisa to grow through its subsidiary Enerjisa Customer Solutions, which offers sustainable and cutting-edge energy solutions. The upgrade and modernization will cut nearly 20k of CO2 emissions per year by reducing electricity losses and increasing renewable energy generation.

ALSO IN TURKISH EV NEWS- Ford Motors is switching partnerships on Turkish battery plant: The US car manufacturer is reportedly swapping Seoul-based battery maker Sk On Co. with LG Energy Solution Ltd. as a partner on its new Turkish battery plant, Bloomberg reports, citing sources close to the matter. While the change has not been officially announced, an agreement between the new partners is expected to be signed within weeks.

The details: The new Turkish facility is expected to come online in 2025 with an annual production capacity ranging between 30 to 45 GWh according to the original agreement between Ford, SK On, and Turkish Koc Holding, the business information service reports. No financial details have been disclosed.

What’s the story behind the switch? Sk On and Ford signed an MoU for the establishment of a new plant in Turkey last March. While the facts are yet to be confirmed, sources claim the Korean battery producer is mulling pulling out of the project citing unsatisfactory macroeconomic conditions, the newswire reported, citing Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo.

The US carmaker isn’t calling off all transactions with SK On: The American car maker will continue to work with the Korean outfit on additional projects including two factories in the US and increasing capacity at a third one in a bid to produce 2 mn electric vehicles annually by the end of 2026, according to Bloomberg.

Ford is ramping up investments in the EV sector: The company has pledged USD 50 bn towards EV development and production, Bloomberg reports. The automaker is stepping up the manufacture of EVs and batteries, building its first entirely new assembly factory in 50 years along with a new SK On Co. battery plant in Tennessee. Ford is also planning to establish a battery manufacturing facility in the US with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. of China.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s EV push is growing: The country launched its first locally-produced electric car last October and plans to release five models by the end of the decade, with an SUV rolling out at the end of 3Q 2023.