(ECO) TURKEY SEEKS TO ENCOURAGE USE OF ELECTRIC CARS.

ISTANBUL, Nov 22, 2009 (TUR) -- The Turkish trade minister said on Sunday that Turkey sought to encourage use of electric cars.

Turkey's Trade and Industry Minister Nihat Ergun said that Turkey sought to encourage use of electric cars in the county, and planned first stimulus regulations for 2011.

"Oyak Renault automobile factories will start producing electrical Fluence model as of the end of 2010," Ergun told AA correspondent, recalling that the Oyak Renault was the first automotive company in Turkey to work on manufacturing electric cars.

Ergun said the taxes of the electric cars should be in the minimum level so that people would prefer using them instead of other cars.

Also, the minister said some incentives were needed for charge stations.

Ergun said ministries could start using electric cars and thus, this would encourage others to prefer those cars.

The industry minister also said his ministry would work with the Finance Ministry on possible steps to encourage use of electric cars.

Also on economic growth, Ergun said Turkey forecast its growth around 3.5 percent in 2010, 4 percent in 2011 and 4.5 percent in 2012.

Ergun said Turkish businesspeople could undertake many projects abroad, and therefore businesspeople, chambers of commerce and industry, businessmen's associations and business councils should discuss those foreign markets.

Then, businesspeople should set their new strategies according to those analyses, he also said.

Ergun said if businesspeople did so, they could increase their market share by a few folds in a few years.

(BRC)

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)