"Sharz.net General Coordinator Ayşe Ece Şengönül on the company's services and plans." INTERVIEW • Can we get information about Sharz.net's founding story and the services it provides? Ayşe Ece Şengönül: With the rapidly increasing number of cars worldwide, especially in city centers, air pollution and its negative effects on human health have become more prominent. With the addition of global warming, which directly poisons the air we breathe, the use of hydrogen and electric motors as an alternative energy source, without using fossil fuels, has begun. We can say that today is the day for Turkey to take its place in this ongoing technological change. This change is an important opportunity for Turkey. Our country should become a developer, producer, and determine its direction at the beginning of this rapidly advancing era, missing the fossil fuel engine production technology in the fossil fuel era. Established in 2019 to provide services for this purpose, Sharz.net quickly started its investments and established the station network by spreading electric vehicle charging systems homogeneously from Edirne to Artvin. Our brand, which provides fleet management systems for electric vehicle owner fleets, has also realized a first in Turkey by allowing individuals to include the charging units they bought for themselves in the Sharz.net platform, opening them to the public and enabling revenue sharing. We aim to be a platform that provides infrastructure to support the use and spread of electric vehicles in Turkey and to support small and large entrepreneurs who want to establish an electric charging network. We also aim to be the most widespread and preferred vehicle charging station platform provider in Turkey, allowing electric vehicle users to travel comfortably anywhere in Turkey without the worry of getting stranded. Where is Turkey in the world rankings in terms of electric vehicles? What is your forecast for the short, medium, and long term? Şengönül: We believe that Turkey is among the leading countries in the world in terms of quality and technologies in the automotive and related industries. Considering that electric vehicles do not have internal combustion engines, Turkey is capable of producing all remaining parts of electric vehicles. Considering that there are no internal combustion engines in electric vehicles, Turkey is capable of producing all other parts of electric vehicles. In the race to switch to electric cars, Turkey has almost the same infrastructure as other countries to start at the same time. Our country should take its place as an important player in this new century by producing its own cars and heavy vehicles in this new era. As Sharz.net, we will invest 40 Million TL in our country by the end of 2023 to reach 1000 stations. Our goal is to be present in 81 provinces and to reduce CO2 emissions nationwide by promoting the use of electric cars. How many electric vehicles are there, and what is your forecast for the short, medium, and long term? Şengönül: There are approximately 8000 electric vehicles in Turkey. This number is still very low and does not create a significant impact. We expect it to double at most by 2023. On the other hand, by 2023, with almost all automotive manufacturers restricting diesel production lines and opening new electric car production lines, the numbers will increase. By 2023, with the arrival of almost all automotive manufacturers restricting diesel production lines and opening new electric car production lines, the numbers will increase. We expect an increase of 2-3 times the previous year each year by 2023. "The first initiative, as you know, was carried out by Renault and BMW." In recent years, Renault Zoe and BMW i3s were occasionally seen on the streets of Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara. The arrival of Jaguar I-PACE and Porsche Taycan to Turkey introduced electric vehicles to high-end users. Users impressed by their performance entered a waiting period for the arrival of different brands and models of electric cars. With the arrival of more accessible models, the market began to move. Especially with the arrival of electric models of light commercial vehicles in Turkey, electric vehicles will become an inevitable part of our lives. How much does it cost to install a charging station in homes? And what is the short-long term benefit compared to traditional sockets? Şengönül: The cost of an AC unit varies between 600 Euros and 1500 Euros. However, generally, products around 600 Euros are used in homes. If a charging unit is installed near or next to the house's electrical panel, the cost will be approximately 1000 TL. As the charging unit moves away from the panel, the infrastructure cost will increase. If there is an additional cost for concrete cutting and construction, the cost will increase even more. In summary, the average infrastructure cost varies between 1000 and 3000 TL. Do you only provide services in Turkey? Can you share your goals? Şengönül: We did our first international business in our second homeland, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. While our pilot studies continue with a station in Azerbaijan, our studies have started in Albania, Italy, and Greece. Our goal is to be an international charging station operator that represents Turkey as it deserves. Article: