Istanbul: The Turkish car market experienced a significant shift in consumer preferences during the first quarter of 2026, with electric and hybrid vehicles comprising 51.2% of total automotive sales. The Istanbul-based Automotive Distributors' Association (ODMD) reported that 107,924 electric and hybrid cars were sold, highlighting a growing trend towards environmentally friendly transportation options.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trkiye's overall car sales witnessed a decline of 5.86% year-on-year, totaling 210,688 units between January and March. Despite the drop in overall car sales, the light commercial vehicle segment saw a modest increase of 4.23%, reaching 54,710 units in the same period.

In detail, the market saw the sale of 88,688 gas-powered cars, 69,504 hybrid vehicles, 13,326 diesel cars, 750 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered cars, and 38,026 fully electric vehicles. Including extended-range electric vehicles (EVs), sales for the first quarter rose to 38,420 units, representing 18.2% of the market. Trkiye's customs statistics categorize extended-range vehicles under electric vehicles.

The sales of gas-powered cars decreased by 20.1%, diesel cars by 26.9%, and LPG-powered cars by 34.8%. In contrast, hybrid car sales increased by 33%, and EV sales rose by 29.9%, indicating a shift in consumer preference towards electric options.

The decline in diesel car sales aligns with global initiatives aimed at reducing diesel production, consequently decreasing the availability of diesel cars in the market. Market share for gas-powered vehicles dropped from 49.6% to 42.1%, diesel cars from 8.1% to 6.3%, and LPG vehicles from 0.5% to 0.4%. Meanwhile, the market share for EVs increased from 13.2% to 18.2%, and hybrids rose from 28.6% to 33% year-on-year.

Specifically, in March, the Turkish car market sold 15,118 EVs, which accounted for 18.9% of total sales, and 27,065 hybrid vehicles, achieving a 33.9% market share, as per ODMD data.