Turkey says its new electric car is better than a Tesla

A prototype of the Pehlivan Elektrak, an electric car designed in part with support from the Turkish government, recently concluded a two-week tour of Balkan countries. The car is an improvement on the models made by Canadian-American magnate Elon Musk's Tesla Motors, at least according to Turkey's science minister.

"Our car will be better and safer than Tesla’s car," said Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Isık, as quoted by Hurriyet Daily News. "While they need to establish charging stations, we will integrate the charging station into the car thanks to a developed engine which extends the car’s range."

The vehicle, which is named after the Turkish word for "wrestler," was the winning design entry in a competition sponsored by the Turkish state. It's unclear if and when large-scale production of the car will begin.

Last year, the Turkish government announced to a tie-up with Sweden's Saabin its bid to launch a new "national car" fueled by electricity.

"We will need a producer to start manufacturing," Isik told reporters. "We will announce crucial cooperation deals for this part very soon." The minister imagines Turkey's domestic electric car project will be able to compete with ventures from Tesla and Google and other companies.