The upward trend in drivers seeking to go green helped Türkiye outpace many European countries in electric vehicle (EV) sales in 2023, in a momentum propelled by the nation’s first homegrown battery-powered car and the entry of several new brands.
Sales of fully electric cars in Türkiye reached a record 65,562 units throughout last year – an 844.4% year-over-year increase – according to the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD). EVs accounted for 6.8% of the total sales, up from just 1.2% in 2022.
The figure means Türkiye left behind many EU member states such as Italy, Spain, Austria, Denmark and Finland, according to a report by Anadolu Agency (AA).
The rise has not been limited to fully electric cars, as their gasoline-electric hybrid rival also gained significant momentum and saw sales increase by 62.8% to 104,804 units last year.
The overall passenger car and light commercial vehicle market in Türkiye achieved a historic milestone as sales surpassed 1.2 million units in 2023, marking a 57.4% year-over-year increase. The earlier annual all-time high stood at 984,000 units in 2016.
According to ODMD data, passenger car sales increased by 63.2% throughout the year, reaching 967,341 units, while the light commercial vehicle market saw a 39.2% increase, reaching 265,924 units.
Sales of gasoline-fueled vehicles rose 58.1% to 646,385 units. The combined sales of fully electric and hybrid cars reached 170,366, surpassing diesel car sales which totaled 133,374 units.
The market share of gasoline cars dropped to 66.8%, from 69% in 2022. Diesel cars' share declined from 17.4% to 13.8%, while that of hybrid vehicles fell from 10.9% to 10.8%.
The record EV share was driven by the first homegrown brand Togg and the entry of new players like Tesla. The course of the year saw electric cars' share in monthly sales surpass 10% in August, compared to just 2% in April.
EV sales in December surged by 643% compared to the previous year, totaling 11,289 units, the data showed. In December alone, they comprised 9% of total car sales.
Togg topped the list and delivered 19,583 of these, while Tesla, entering the market in April, achieved approximately 12,150 sales. Chinese automaker BYD, which started operations in Türkiye in November, delivered 839 units.
Togg is currently producing a fully electric C-segment SUV. The brand launched the production of its T10X in October 2022 before it started deliveries in April a year later.
It is due to unveil its sedan model this week at CES 2024, the world’s largest technology trade show.
According to ODMD data, the number of brands selling at least one electric model in Türkiye increased to 27 as of October 2023, compared to less than 10 in 2021.
The upward trend of EVs in the Turkish automotive market remains notably higher compared to European counterparts.
Fully electric car sales in the EU increased by 48.2% year-over-year from January through November 2023, reaching 1.37 million units, according to the data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA).
Italy saw 59,462 sales, Spain 45,716, Denmark 52,886, and Finland 27,435. Germany led the 27-member EU with 469,565 units, followed by France with 260,864 and the Netherlands with 103,330 units.
Sweden ranked fourth with 100,698 sales, and Belgium came in fifth with 86,823.
The 11-month sales in Türkiye totaled 54,273 units, making it rank seventh in Europe just after Italy.
