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U.S. automaker Tesla achieved its highest-ever monthly sales in Türkiye in August, defying a sharp increase in special consumption taxes that raised prices for electric vehicles across the market.
The company sold 8,730 units in August, surpassing domestic rival Togg and China’s BYD, and making Türkiye its top European market for the first time, as faster deliveries and tax-driven demand boosted sales.
Over the first eight months of the year, Tesla also led the market with 25,756 sales, representing a 21.5% share. Togg followed with 21,070 units and an overall 17.6% share, while BYD recorded 13,391 sales with an 11.2% share.
Türkiye’s revised Special Consumption Tax (SCT) on electric vehicles raised the lowest rate from 10% to 25% in June. This lifted retail prices by between 10% and 20%. On top of the tax increase, leading EV makers including Tesla and Togg added further price hikes.
Among the best-selling models, Togg’s T10X saw the largest increase at 29.31%, followed by BYD’s Seal U at 24.84% and Tesla’s Model Y at 20.08%. BYD’s Atto 3 rose by 13.57%.
Industry observers noted several factors behind Tesla’s strong August performance. Demand for Togg’s T10X slowed as buyers awaited the pre-order phase for the brand’s upcoming sedan model. At the same time, Tesla accelerated deliveries after resolving earlier supply constraints.
In addition, many customers advanced purchases to August to avoid the expected tax impact, while reports of technical issues with other brands—circulating widely on social media—further steered consumer interest toward Tesla.
Türkiyes overall automobile and light commercial vehicle sales rose 7.24% year-on-year in the January–August period, reaching 817,345 units. Car sales increased by 8.05% to 654,413, while light commercial vehicle sales grew 4.1% to 162,932.
Lower-taxed small and mid-sized vehicles dominated demand, with A, B, and C segments accounting for nearly 82% of total sales. C-segment cars, typically compact family vehicles, made up 56% of the market with 366,708 units.
By body type, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) continued to lead consumer preferences, capturing 62.8% of sales with 410,891 units in the first eight months of the year.
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