 Karsan, based in Bursa, Turkey, expects the auction process for New York City taxis to end early next month. Hürriyet photo |
Karsan Otomotiv, the Turkish van and bus maker shortlisted to make New York taxis, will increase sales 10 percent to 20 percent in 2011 from last year’s 600 million liras ($390 million), Chief Executive Officer Murat Selek said.
The company, based in Bursa, Turkey, expects the auction process for New York City taxis to end early next month, Selek said in an interview at Karsan’s factory on Wednesday. Talks to make buses and vans for Hyundai Motor will conclude by the middle of the year, he said.
Ford Motor, Nissan Motor and Karsan were named as finalists in a competition to design a new model for New York’s 26,500 cabs in the next 10 years, including an initial 13,000 units. The city’s Taxi & Limousine Commission will decide whether to designate one company as the sole fleet supplier of the “Taxi of Tomorrow” for the city’s 600,000 riders.
Sales at Karsan will probably jump as the company makes new vehicles including buses and taxis, Selek said. Karsan produces vans for Peugeot SA, trucks for Renault SA and Hyundai, and buses for Italy’s Bredamenarinibus.
“We will be producing 32,000 units in 2015 and with the addition of new projects the sales will rise about 300 percent by 2015,” Selek said.
The company will make 25,000 units this year, almost unchanged from 2010, and will export 21,000, he said.
The taxi model, named Karsan V1, provides accessibility for the disabled, allows riders to watch the sky through a window on top and offers a multimedia “infotainment” platform, he said.
It will have gasoline, compressed natural gas, hybrid and electric options, Selek said.
The Taxi & Limousine Commission will probably announce its decision by early February, Selek said. Karsan’s forecast of a $150 million investment to develop the product may be revised, he said.
Other large U.S. cities and other countries have also shown interest in Karsan’s taxi, Selek said. “There are no concrete demands yet. Our model can easily be adapted to the needs of other cities,” he said.
“We think the talks will be concluded by June instead of an earlier plan to have them done by March because we realize we need more time for some details,” Selek said. “The feasibility work isn’t ready yet but we are talking about more than 10,000 units” a year, he said.
The New York taxi and Hyundai projects may require increased capacity, which can be achieved “without any bottlenecks,” Selek said. The plant capacity is about 60,000 units a year on a three-shift work schedule and can be raised to 100,000 units, according to Karsan’s website.
Turkey’s car industry will increase annual production to 1.8 million units by 2015 from nearly 1.1 million in 2010 and about 1.2 million will be exported, Selek said. Turkey exported 75 percent of its production in 2010, he said.
Some Chinese carmakers are expected to invest in Turkey for products to sell back in China and this should “create opportunities for Turkish carmakers,” he said.
The company, based in Bursa, Turkey, expects the auction process for New York City taxis to end early next month, Selek said in an interview at Karsan’s factory on Wednesday. Talks to make buses and vans for Hyundai Motor will conclude by the middle of the year, he said.
Ford Motor, Nissan Motor and Karsan were named as finalists in a competition to design a new model for New York’s 26,500 cabs in the next 10 years, including an initial 13,000 units. The city’s Taxi & Limousine Commission will decide whether to designate one company as the sole fleet supplier of the “Taxi of Tomorrow” for the city’s 600,000 riders.
Sales at Karsan will probably jump as the company makes new vehicles including buses and taxis, Selek said. Karsan produces vans for Peugeot SA, trucks for Renault SA and Hyundai, and buses for Italy’s Bredamenarinibus.
“We will be producing 32,000 units in 2015 and with the addition of new projects the sales will rise about 300 percent by 2015,” Selek said.
The company will make 25,000 units this year, almost unchanged from 2010, and will export 21,000, he said.
‘Landmark development’
“Our aim is to introduce a brand new segment in the Turkish carmaking industry and we see the New York tender as an opportunity for us to reach this target,” Selek said. “If we win the tender, it will be a landmark development not only for Karsan but also for Turkey.”The taxi model, named Karsan V1, provides accessibility for the disabled, allows riders to watch the sky through a window on top and offers a multimedia “infotainment” platform, he said.
It will have gasoline, compressed natural gas, hybrid and electric options, Selek said.
The Taxi & Limousine Commission will probably announce its decision by early February, Selek said. Karsan’s forecast of a $150 million investment to develop the product may be revised, he said.
Other large U.S. cities and other countries have also shown interest in Karsan’s taxi, Selek said. “There are no concrete demands yet. Our model can easily be adapted to the needs of other cities,” he said.
Hyundai buses
Karsan, which makes trucks for Hyundai, is in talks with the South Korean automaker to start producing a new bus model which Hyundai plans to sell in Turkey and Europe, Selek said.“We think the talks will be concluded by June instead of an earlier plan to have them done by March because we realize we need more time for some details,” Selek said. “The feasibility work isn’t ready yet but we are talking about more than 10,000 units” a year, he said.
The New York taxi and Hyundai projects may require increased capacity, which can be achieved “without any bottlenecks,” Selek said. The plant capacity is about 60,000 units a year on a three-shift work schedule and can be raised to 100,000 units, according to Karsan’s website.
Turkey’s car industry will increase annual production to 1.8 million units by 2015 from nearly 1.1 million in 2010 and about 1.2 million will be exported, Selek said. Turkey exported 75 percent of its production in 2010, he said.
Some Chinese carmakers are expected to invest in Turkey for products to sell back in China and this should “create opportunities for Turkish carmakers,” he said.
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