The order, which comprises of 200 EV fast chargers and digital services, was made by Astor Enerji, a manufacturer of transformer and switchgear products to fulfill its plans to build charging stations throughout Turkey. The company intends to set up chargers every 200 kilometers along highways all over the country and at a number of shopping malls. By the end of the year, at least 150 chargers are planned to be in operation, with the remaining chargers to be delivered by February 2024.
As part of the contract, Siemens will also provide control and monitoring configuration backend software to ensure optimised operations. The software will enable Astor Enerji to use cloud applications for the charger management system with payment modules, membership options, and energy pricing. These stations are enabled to communicate with cloud systems and can be monitored and controlled remotely via Siemens´ software. 99 percent of unlikely glitches can be resolved online. In this way, time, and cost factors, e.g., sending service teams to the field, are minimised.
“We are delighted to be able to make a substantial contribution to the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Turkey,” said Markus Mildner, CEO eMobility at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. "The combined expertise of Astor Enerji and Siemens supports the rapid implementation of the project. SICHARGE D is a perfect fit for the needs of EV drivers, and our digital services will help ensure highest availability of the future charging network."
Feridun Geçgel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Astor Energy, said: “The number of electric vehicles in our country is expected to reach 2.5 million in 10 years. Along with the electric vehicle transformation, the creation of the infrastructure is also of great importance. With our Astor Charge brand, we took an important step to improve Turkey's electric vehicle charging station infrastructure. Especially for the installation of DC charging stations, which we call fast charging, an increase in electrical installed power is required. As Astor Energy, we have the capacity to increase power with our deep-rooted experience and expertise. Our cooperation with Siemens Turkey will offer electric vehicle owners safe, fast, and easy charging. In addition, this agreement will contribute to our country's goals in energy efficiency and environmentally friendly technologies.”
The Turkish EV market is growing at a fast pace. Current projections indicate that Turkey´s charging station infrastructure will increase around 50 percent through 2030, when up to two million electric cars are expected to be on the road in the country. Astor Enerji is an Ankara-based specialist enterprise in manufacturing of medium voltage switching products and compact transformer substations. It was among the first companies in Turkey to obtain a "Charging Network Operator License" issued by the Republic of Turkey Energy Market Regulatory Institution (EPDK) (EMRI).
Siemens’ direct current (DC) high-power charger SICHARGE D, with a rating of up to 300kW, reduces charging times to between 15 and 25 minutes and is very intuitive to operate. The charging process is automatically adapted to the connected vehicles. The charging capacity can either be used completely for a single vehicle or distributed among several vehicles depending on their needs. Dynamic power allocation easily considers the vehicle’s individual power demands and ensures optimized charging time. Up to three vehicles can be charged in parallel with two DC fast-charging sockets and one optional AC socket. Using a dispenser, the system can be expanded to have up to 4 fast-charging sockets. The integrated 24" adjustable screen allows users to easily operate the SICHARGE D charger at the most convenient height.
Earlier this year, Siemens received the iF Design Award 2023 for its high-power charger SICHARGE D. The prize was awarded by the certified non-profit iF Design Foundation, which promotes design and its social significance and is regarded as one of the most prestigious design awards in the world - with almost 11,000 entries from 56 countries in 2023.
