Exports from the Turkish automotive sector had a record performance this January-May, reaching $16.58 billion, according to a report on Wednesday, citing data from the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM).
Despite disruption over higher U.S. tariffs, Türkiye's auto exports in the January-May period rose 10% year-over-year, making up 17.2% of the country’s total exports, the data showed.
Meanwhile, total exports from the country rose 3.5% on an annual basis over the same period, totaling $110.9 billion. In May alone, total exports climbed 2.7% to $24.83 billion.
Germany topped the list receiving the largest volume of Turkish auto exports in the first five months of the year, with $2.6 billion, followed by France with $1.8 billion, the U.K. with $1.7 billion, Spain with $1.5 billion, Italy with $1.3 billion, Slovenia with $913.1 million, Romania with $601.7 million and Belgium with $699.8 million.
The biggest increase in export value was also in Germany, as auto exports to the country saw a rise of $528.9 million, followed by Spain with $460.8 million, Slovenia with $354.6 million, Romania with $178.1 million and Belgium with $149.6 million.
In Türkiye, the northwestern province of Kocaeli led the auto sector, accounting for $5.2 billion of exports in the first five months of the year, while Istanbul made up $3.5 billion, the northwestern provinces of Bursa and Sakarya’s auto exports totaled $3.5 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively, and auto exports from the capital Ankara reached $642.7 million.
Türkiye’s auto and auto supply industries gained momentum with exports during the pandemic period, when global demand declined.
Showing a steady rise, the country’s January-May auto sector exports totaled $13.1 billion in 2019, $8.8 billion in 2020, $12.33 billion in 2021, $12.5 billion in 2022, $14.3 billion in 2023 and $15.1 billion in 2024.
