Turkey has witnessed a notable surge in the sales of fully electric cars, with a remarkable 257.3% increase in the first five months of the year compared to the same period in 2023. Recent data from the country’s leading automotive association, the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD), revealed that over 27,600 electric cars were sold during this period.
According to data compiled by Anadolu Agency (AA) from ODMD, the market share of electric cars has also risen to over 7%, while hybrid sales have continued to grow. Overall sales of cars and light commercial vehicles in Turkey demonstrated a 6% increase during the first five months of the year, resulting in a total of 471,743 new vehicle sales by the end of May.
In the car segment, gasoline-fueled cars led in sales with 247,828 units sold, followed by hybrid cars with 54,065 units. Meanwhile, sales of fully electric cars amounted to 27,604 units, with an additional 31,070 units when including vehicles with an extended range (E-REV). The surge in electric car sales is particularly significant when compared to the decline in sales of diesel cars, decreasing by 33.1%, and LPG cars, decreasing by 37% during the same period.
This increase in electric car sales can be attributed to the growing global shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly transportation. As a result, the market share of fully electric cars in total sales increased from 2.3% to 7.4%, and for hybrids, it increased from 10.6% to 14.4%. When considering all categories of vehicles with electric motors, they comprised 22.7% of the total market.
The EV market in Turkey has also been strengthened by the success of the first domestic electric vehicle, Togg, which sold nearly 20,000 units last year, helping Turkey secure the number six spot in the European sales ranking. However, concerns related to the availability of lithium, affordability, and the speed of building charging infrastructure globally remain key focus areas for the sector.
The surge in electric car sales reflects a global trend towards sustainable transportation and highlights Turkey’s growing presence in the electric vehicle market. Despite the challenges, the continued growth of electric car sales demonstrates the increasing popularity and demand for eco-friendly and sustainable mobility solutions.