EV sales in Turkey nearly doubled in 2025 despite tax hike

The sale of fully electric vehicles in Turkey nearly doubled last year despite the government’s increased import duties.

EV sales rose 90 percent to 190,000 units, accounting for 17 percent of the passenger car market, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported, quoting data from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association.

Hybrid vehicle sales increased 63 percent year on year to 295,000 units, 27 percent of the market.

In September Ankara overhauled automotive import duties, with conventional and hybrid cars incurring an additional levy of 25 percent or a minimum of $6,000 per unit. Hybrid plug-in vehicles and fully electric cars are now taxed a further 30 percent or $7,000 per sale.

However, duties on Chinese manufacturers were slashed from 60 percent to between 35 and 40 percent. Levies on imports from Japan, Mexico and South Africa rose from a base rate of 10 percent to between 35 and 40 percent. 

Passenger car sales rose 11 percent to 1.1 million in 2025, while light commercial vehicle sales jumped 10 percent to 283,904.

In December passenger car sales increased 8.5 percent year on year to 146,319, the report said. 

A total of 25,203 EVs and 43,386 hybrid cars were sold last month.

Further reading:

• Turkey changes gear on automotive tariffs
• Turkey’s car sales exceed 1m as EV demand rises
• Turkey’s homegrown Togg outsells EV rivals