Divergence in Europe's and Turkey's Automobile Markets
While the oil crisis and emission rules are transforming the automobile market, electric vehicles have come to the forefront in Europe, whereas hybrid sales have risen in Turkey.
While rising fuel prices and strict emission rules are changing balances in the automobile market, the preferences of the European Union and Turkey markets have evolved in different directions. In Europe, fully electric vehicles have surpassed gasoline-powered cars, whereas in Turkey, electric sales have experienced a decline and hybrid models have increased their market share.
Effects of the Global Crisis
Fuel prices rising alongside the oil crisis and tightening emission regulations continue to radically alter traditional balances in the automobile market. In the first eight months of the year, the total market share of gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles declined in both the European Union and Turkey.
Electric Vehicles Lead in Europe
According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, the car market in the EU recorded a growth of 5.3 percent in the first eight months of the year. Sales of fully electric cars reached 1,641,000 units, raising their market share to the 21.7 percent level.
During the same period, 1,635,000 gasoline cars were sold, allowing electric vehicles to surpass gasoline cars in eight-month sales for the first time by a margin of approximately 6,600 units. Hybrid cars continued to constitute the largest portion of the market with a 36.6 percent share.
Contraction in the Turkish Market
According to data from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association, total automobile sales in Turkey contracted by 13.8 percent in the January-August 2026 period, falling to 564,241 units. In the same period, electric car sales also recorded a 12 percent decrease, coming in at 105,255 units.
Rise of Hybrid Models in Turkey
While the market share of gasoline cars in Turkey dropped from 45.4 percent to 40.8 percent, the share of hybrids rose from 27.6 percent to the 33.1 percent level. As the sales gap between gasoline and hybrid vehicles fell to as low as 43,000 units, mild hybrid models in particular played an influential role in this rise.