Electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for more than half of all passenger car sales in Türkiye in the first quarter, according to industry data that cements accelerating shift away from gasoline and diesel-powered models.
According to data compiled from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD), electric and hybrid vehicle sales totaled 107,924 units in the January-March period, making up 51.2% of all passenger car sales.
Passenger car sales in the first quarter fell 5.86% year-over-year to 210,688 units, while light commercial vehicle sales rose 4.23% to 54,710 units. During the same period, 88,688 gasoline cars and 69,504 hybrid vehicles were sold, while diesel sales stood at 13,326 units and LPG-powered vehicle sales totaled just 750. Fully electric vehicle sales reached 38,028 units.
When extended-range electric vehicles are included, total electric vehicle sales rose to 38,420 units, giving the segment an 18.2% share of the market.
Sales trends showed a continued decline in conventional fuel-powered vehicles. In the first quarter, gasoline vehicle sales dropped 20.1% year-over-year, diesel vehicle sales fell 26.9% and LPG vehicle sales declined 34.8%. By contrast, hybrid sales climbed 33%, while electric vehicle sales increased 29.9%.
The decline in diesel sales has been largely attributed to the continued phase-out of diesel vehicle production by global automakers, limiting the number of new diesel models entering the market.
Gasoline-powered cars accounted for 42.1% of passenger car sales in the first quarter, down from 49.6% a year earlier. Diesel vehicles’ market share fell from 8.1% to 6.3%, while LPG-powered cars slipped from 0.5% to 0.4%.
Meanwhile, electric vehicles increased their market share from 13.2% to 18.2%, while hybrids rose from 28.6% to 33%.
In March alone, 15,118 fully electric cars were sold, accounting for 18.9% of the monthly market, while hybrid vehicle sales reached 27,065 units, representing a 33.9% share.
