Türkiye's automotive main industry production rose more than 10% in November, driven by a sharp increase in commercial vehicle output that offset a decline in passenger car production, industry data showed on Monday.
Total production climbed 10.6% year-over-year to 131,606 vehicles in November, according to figures released by the Automotive Manufacturers Association (OSD). Capacity utilization for the month stood at 73.5%.
From January through November, vehicle production increased 4.3% from a year earlier to around 1.3 million units, while passenger car output fell 3.2% to 796,276 units. Including tractor production, total output reached 1.32 million units.
Commercial vehicle production rose strongly over the 11-month period, increasing 19% year-over-year, led by a 21% rise in light commercial vehicles, while heavy commercial vehicle output edged up 1%, OSD data showed.
On a rolling 12-month basis, total vehicle production rose 4.2% year-over-year to 1.42 million units, again supported mainly by commercial vehicle manufacturing, OSD said.
Average capacity utilization across the automotive industry stood at 66% in the January-November period, with utilization at 68% for light vehicles, 57% for trucks, 67% for buses and minibuses and 37% for tractors.
Automotive exports increased 5% in volume terms over the first 11 months of the year to 960,989 vehicles. Passenger car exports fell 8% year-over-year, while commercial vehicle exports surged 30%. Tractor exports declined 16% to 10,377 units.
In value terms, total automotive industry exports reached $37 billion in January-November, according to data from Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters' Association (UIB), maintaining the sector's position as Türkiye's largest exporter with an 18% share, figures from the Türkiye Exporters Assembly (TIM) showed.
Passenger car exports rose 6% in value terms to $10.6 billion, while main industry exports increased 15% and supplier industry exports rose 6% on a dollar basis.
Exports in November climbed 14.9% year-over-year to $3.7 billion, supported by strong shipments of light and commercial vehicles, the OSD said.
Türkiye's total vehicle market grew 10% year-over-year in the first 11 months to 1.216 million units. Passenger car sales rose 11% to 938,177 vehicles.
Total commercial vehicle sales increased 5%, driven by a 7% rise in light commercial vehicles, while heavy commercial vehicle sales fell 4% over the same period.
The domestic share of locally produced vehicles stood at 30% in passenger car sales and 21% in the light commercial vehicle market during the January-November period, OSD said.
Last month, domestic market sales, including heavy commercial vehicles, increased 9.8% to 137,347 units. Heavy commercial vehicle sales alone rose 8.9% to 4,363 units.
