Turkey surpassed many European Union (EU) countries with the sale of 65,562 “fully electric” cars in 2023.

The journey of “green cars”, a synonym for electric cars, in Turkey continues to develop with increasing momentum.

Many European and Asian brands put their previously announced ambitious models on sale in the Turkish market during the year. In addition to electric cars, the number of cars with hybrid engines, another part of electric mobility, is also increasing. Survey studies also reveal that the purchasing interest in electric vehicles is quite high.

According to data compiled by the AA correspondent from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD), the total market for cars and light commercial vehicles in Turkey grew by 57.4 percent on an annual basis in 2023. Thus, the 1 million figure was exceeded for the first time in the sector and 1 million 232 thousand 635 units were sold.

Automobile sales increased by 63.2 percent last year compared to 2022 and reached 967 thousand 341 units, while light commercial vehicle sales increased by 39.2 percent to 265 thousand 294 units.

Total hybrid and electric sales exceeded diesel

In the Turkish automobile market, gasoline cars ranked first with 646 thousand 385 units sold last year, while diesel cars ranked second with 133 thousand 374 units.

Hybrid car sales were recorded as 104 thousand 804 and autogas car sales as 10 thousand 599 units. Sales of fully electric cars powered only by electricity reached 65 thousand 562.

When vehicles with a system that provides power to the wheels by running an electric motor with a gasoline engine generator to charge the battery in the vehicle (extended range) are included, the number of electric car sales was recorded as 72 thousand 179. Extended range cars are also included in the “electric” class as Customs Tariff Statistics Position (GTIP).

Last year, sales of fully electric and hybrid cars exceeded the sales of diesel cars with a total of 170 thousand 366.

844.4 percent increase in electric car sales

Gasoline car sales increased by 58.1 percent, diesel cars by 29.1 percent and autogas cars by 27.6 percent last year compared to 2022.

In this period, hybrid car sales increased by 62.8 percent and fully electric car sales increased by 844.4 percent.

The market share of fully electric cars reached 6.8 percent

The share of gasoline cars in sales, which was 69 percent in 2022, decreased to 66.8 percent last year. In the said period, the share of diesel cars decreased from 17.4 percent to 13.8 percent and the share of autogas cars decreased from 1.4 percent to 1.1 percent.

In Turkey, the share of fully electric cars in total sales increased from 1.2 percent to 6.8 percent, while the share of hybrid cars decreased from 10.9 percent to 10.8 percent. When considered as full electric, extended range electric and hybrid, 18.3 percent of the total market consisted of vehicles with electrification.

According to ODMD data, while the number of brands selling at least one electric model in Turkey was one in 2012, this number remained below 10 until 2021. In 2021, the number of brands selling electric cars rose to 13, 16 in 2022 and 27 as of October 2023 with the addition of BYD to the list.

Turkey surpasses many EU countries in electric car sales

The growing trend of electric cars in the Turkish car market continues to remain high compared to European car markets.

According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Turkey has surpassed many EU countries in electric car sales, based on the recently released 11-month figures for the EU.

In the January-November 2023 period, sales of fully electric cars (BEV) in EU countries increased by 48.2 percent compared to the same period of the previous year and reached 1 million 378 thousand 441.

59 thousand 462 electric cars were sold in Italy, 45 thousand 716 in Spain, 52 thousand 886 in Denmark and 27 thousand 435 in Finland. In this period, the country with the highest number of electric car sales in the 27-member EU was Germany with 469 thousand 565. It was followed by France with 260 thousand 864 units and the Netherlands with 103 thousand 330 sales.

Sweden ranked fourth with 100 thousand 698 sales and Belgium ranked fifth with 86 thousand 823 sales.

Thus, Turkey ranked sixth in the EU with 65 thousand 562 fully electric car sales in 2023, surpassing countries such as Italy, Spain, Austria, Denmark and Finland.

Considering the January-November 2023 period, Turkey ranked seventh in the list after Italy with 54 thousand 273 full electric cars (excluding extended range) sales.