Turkey has now become the fourth-largest European market for electric cars, surpassing countries such as Belgium, Italy, and Spain thanks to strong domestic demand: a growth trend that, in Turkey’s case, has occurred without direct consumer incentives such as those implemented in Europe and in a context where manufacturers were prioritizing EU markets. Furthermore, one in four electric models sold in Türkiye is from the domestic brand TOGG.
The strong demand for electric cars has placed the Eurasian country among the leading European markets, according to the financial section of the Turkish daily Hürriyet. While the overall automotive market is contracting in the country, Turkey, with more than 54,000 electric vehicles sold in the first four months of the year, has already overtaken giants like Italy and Spain to become the fourth-largest European market in this segment.
It should also be noted that this situation is occurring — in Turkey’s case — without direct consumer subsidies similar to those in Europe, and at a time when European manufacturers were prioritizing sales to EU countries due to emissions regulations.
According to the latest data compiled by the Hürriyet newspaper based on figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and the Turkish Automotive and Mobility Distributors Association (ODMD), the European electric vehicle market grew by 29% between January and April 2026, reaching 978,845 units sold, driven in part by the return of certain government purchase incentives. During that same period, the Turkish market grew by 28.2% to total 54,463 units.
1 in every 4 electric vehicles sold in Turkey is a TOGG
With this sales volume, Turkey surpasses Italy, Spain, and Belgium to rank as the fourth-largest EV market in Europe, led by Germany with 223,980 units sold, followed by the United Kingdom with 176,698 and France with 148,299. Additionally, approximately 25% of electric vehicle sales in Türkiye were accounted for by the Turkish brand TOGG.
When considering all vehicle types combined — not just electric cars — the European passenger car market grew by 4.8% to reach 4.6 million units between January and April 2026; during the same period, however, the Turkish market shrank by 5.9% to 290,870 units.
Despite this contraction, Turkey remains one of Europe’s largest automotive markets, ranking 6th; Germany took first place with 948,000 units sold in the first four months of the year, followed by the UK with 764,000, Italy with 639,000, France with 539,000, and Spain with 407,000.
Limits on Chinese presence in the Turkish Market
At the same time, while Chinese manufacturers continue to gain ground in Europe, the situation in Turkey is different. According to ACEA data, the three brands with the highest sales growth in Europe during the first four months of the year were Chinese manufacturers: Leapmotor, Chery, and BYD.
Tesla was not far behind, experiencing a sales recovery in Europe following last year’s poor results. In Turkey, however, legal regulations and import tariffs continue to limit the presence of Chinese electric car brands in the Turkish market.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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