Electric vehicles play a major role in transformation around the world in terms sustainability. In this innovative sector, the national initiatives have also started to find their places in the global arena. Amperino, one of the leading companies aiming to provide sustainable solutions in the automotive sector of Turkey, attracts attention with its journey that started in Inegol. In the interview we conducted with Muammer Yildiztac, an experienced Hardware Design Engineer of the Amperino Electronics & Software team, we gained valuable information about the company and its innovative projects. Yildiztac explained how Amperino has brought a fresh air to the industry and told about the company’s goals for the future of electric car technologies.
Can you please introduce yourself?
I graduated Electronic Communication Engineering and have been working in the automotive sector at Amperino for about 2 years now. I am conducting hardware design and testing activities here.
Can you tell us about Amperino?
Amperino is a local-national L7 class electric car project for urban use, which was initiated in Bursa, Inegol in 2020, with the focus on global renewable resources. The project was initiated by 6 companies operating in furniture and machinery industries in Inegol. We have a fresh and dynamic team of about 40 people, consisting of engineers from different disciplines. We also have a software team in Bilisim Vadisi. Considering the needs in our country and around the world and taking into consideration that the people usually make short-distance trips that do not require very long distances in their daily life, such as going to work, shopping, school etc., we decided to design an urban car. Our first model Amperino C-100, which is an urban electric car, offers a range between 150 to 200 km and a maximum speed of 90 km/h as per the regulations. We have manufactured three different prototypes with our team and our tests are continuing. We have made our vehicle’s launch in 2023, at the centenary of our republic, and continue to work for mass production.
What kind of solution does Amperino’s compact vehicle design offer to the issue of urban traffic and parking space?
The car we designed is L7 class and is very convenient for urban use. It is extremely suitable for urban use both in terms of its dimensions, design and technical characteristics. It needs less parking space since its dimensions are smaller than those of M-class vehicles, and it is also easier to park as the user’s field of view and control on the vehicle are better thanks to our design.
User experience compared to conventional ICE vehicles?
Our vehicle design aims to get ahead of our competitors with its technical features and comfort. In addition to making the journeys more enjoyable with multimedia features, we have also increased the vehicle’s functionality with applications such as vehicle controls, theme editing features, various updates and market facilities we have created for the vehicle. We will use in-wheel HUB motors manufactured in Turkey in our vehicle. This makes it possible to supply drive force directly from the wheel without the need for any differential or drivetrain, which is an important advantage. The vehicle offers significant savings in terms of both volume, weight and maintenance requirements. In addition, the Amperino offers a more comfortable knee room than its competitors, as well as a large trunk volume of about 370 liters.
Our first model Amperino C-100, which is an urban electric car, offers a range between
150 to -200 km and a maximum speed of 90 km/h as per the regulations.
Can you tell us about Amperino's innovative battery pack?
Our battery pack is quite modular and is mounted on the chassis. With this design, we have made the vehicle’s center of gravity more balanced, which has improved road handling and safety. The vehicle can be charged at home in 240 minutes and at the station in about 80 minutes, and these times will be even shorter in the future. We have also integrated our battery management system and power distribution unit into the battery pack. In this way, the capabilities of our battery pack have been increased. We also supported the battery with a liquid cooling system. This will not only reduce the charging time significantly but also further increase the battery performance.
What are the main features that distinguish Amperino from its competitors, and also the internal design and software/hardware development?
First of all,all equipment,software and vehicle control unit, is manufactured within Amperino. We believe that this is very important since we are developing our own technology. The embedded system software and all the hardware are being developed at our Inegol office, while our software office in Bilisim Vadisi is working on mobile applications and on-board software. Also, while many of our competitors are manufacturing two-seater vehicles, we have positioned the driver’s seat in the middle. This gave us the opportunity to offer both a comfortable trip and a large trunk/storage capacity. We anticipate that the vehicle will also be competitive in terms of its price.
What are the performance information and control features offered to the users via mobile applications and how do these features affect the user experience?
We design our multimedia system inhouse, which gives the user a wide range possibilities. This will also allow the user to update the themes and other functions of the system. Software updates can also be made via these applications after the sale of the vehicle. Also, the user will be supported with market applications and will be able to use various programs according to their needs. In the future, users can even interact with different users via these applications.
What are the contributions of the skateboard chassis design to road handling and interior comfort of the vehicle?
The skateboard chassis integrates the battery pack as part of the vehicle’s base structure. This layout lowers the vehicle's center of gravity, significantly increasing the stability of the vehicle. In addition, the batteries can be easily replaced and resized without changing the vehicle structure.
Can you explain how Amperino aims to play a role in the electric vehicle industry in the future and what strategies it is pursuing to achieve these goals?
As you know, the use of electric vehicles is increasing day by day. In order for Turkey to take a good share in this market, we aim to be a company that creates added value and are shaping our technology in this direction. Together with mass production, we plan to sell the vehicle domestically first and export within a few years. In line with these plans and schedule, we have developed the vehicle’s architecture, software and hardware inhouse and created our own know-how. We have built a modular platform rather than only a vehicle. We think that this is an important breakthrough both in terms of technology and trained human force in the automotive industry.
