TRNC set to make history with electric built cars

TRNC is set to make history when the country’s – and the island’s – first commercially built electric car will roll off the production line later in February. 

The first model of the “Günsel”, named after Suat Günsel, the billionaire founder of Near East University (NEU), will be unveiled at a special event at Elexus hotel in Çatalköy at 7pm on Thursday, February 20.

It follows a 2016 introduction by Dr Günsel of a prototype of the “zero-emission” Günsel sports car, described by son İrfan as his father’s “childhood dream”.

Speaking to Cyprus Today, NEU communications officer Yalvaç Akgün said that a “big surprise” awaits the country on February 20.

Explaining that 109 engineers have spent a total of 1.2 million hours working on the project, Mr Akgün said the “Model 1” Günsel is the “coming together of more than 10,000 pieces”.

He said “serial production” of the “new generation, elegant and productive” mottod car will begin “in 2021” at the NEU campus-based automobile factory, on the outskirts of Lefkoşa, covering a combined “open” and “closed” area of 280,000m².

The vehicle will have a range of 350km on a fully charged battery, which can be charged in just 30 minutes, an NEU statement said.

It will be able to accelerate from 0-100kph in eight seconds with a top speed of 150kph.