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Electric and hybrid cars accounted for more than half of Türkiye's automobile market in the first nine months of the year, as 326,035 vehicles were sold despite an overall decline in car sales.
Of that total, hybrid cars accounted for 204,956 sales, down 0.8% from a year earlier and giving the segment a 32.6% market share, while fully electric models reached 120,329, down 9.5% year over year and accounting for 19.3% of the market.
When extended-range vehicles were included, electric car sales rose to 121,079.
In September alone, electric car sales rose 17.1% year over year to 15,128, giving the segment a 23.7% market share, while hybrid sales reached 17,911, accounting for 28.1% of the market.
Overall automobile sales fell 15.45% year over year to 627,977 between January and September, while light commercial vehicle sales declined 5.12% to 175,488, according to data compiled from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD).
The broader market also contracted sharply in September. Automobile and light commercial vehicle sales fell 24.33% year over year to 83,469 units, with passenger car sales dropping 27.8% to 63,736 and light commercial vehicle sales declining 10.42% to 19,733.
Gasoline-powered car sales fell 23.5% year over year to 258,453, accounting for 41.2% of the market, down from 45.5% a year earlier.
Diesel sales plunged 40.7% to 34,520, with their share falling to 5.5% from 7.8%, while LPG-powered car sales rose 44.7% to 8,969, lifting their share to 1.4% from 0.8%.
The decline in diesel sales reflects a broader shift in the global auto industry as manufacturers reduce their reliance on conventional combustion engines and expand hybrid and electric models.
Diesel has steadily lost ground as automakers face tighter emissions rules, invest more heavily in electrification, and respond to changing consumer demand.
At the same time, manufacturers are increasingly offering multiple electrified options, from conventional hybrids to plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles, rather than relying on a single replacement for gasoline and diesel cars.
Diesel cars accounted for 7.3% of new EU registrations in the first eight months of 2026, down from 9.4% a year earlier, while diesel registrations fell 18.6% year over year, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA).
Extended-range vehicles add another layer to the changing powertrain mix.
They use a gasoline-powered generator to recharge their batteries while an electric motor provides propulsion.
Under Türkiye's customs tariff classification, these models are considered electric vehicles, allowing them to qualify for lower tax rates applied to them and adding to the growing demand for electrified vehicles.
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