TURKISH AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR SUCCESS

Automotive Industry Association (OSD) announced the production, export numbers and market data for the January-April 2021 period.
Accordingly, the base effect, which occurred due to the automotive industry’s interruption to its production last year within the scope of the epidemic measures, was reflected in the increase rates of the January-April 2021 period. In the first 4 months of the year, the total automotive production increased by 28 percent compared to the same period of the previous year and reached 415 thousand 187 units, and automobile production increased by 18 percent to 288 thousand 211. With the production of tractors, the total production was 470 thousand 859 units.
In the first 4 months, the capacity utilization rate of the automotive industry was recorded as 69 percent. Capacity utilization rates on vehicle group basis were 69 percent in light vehicles, 62 percent in heavy commercial vehicles and 79 percent in tractors.
Commercial vehicle production increased by 52 percent in the first 4 months of this year compared to the same period of 2020. During the period in question, production increased by 89 percent in the heavy commercial vehicle group and 49 percent in the light commercial vehicle group. In the same period, the total commercial vehicle production was 162 thousand 976 units.
Looking at the market, in January-April 2021, compared to the same period last year, the commercial vehicle market increased 93 percent, the light commercial vehicle market increased 88 percent and the heavy commercial vehicle market increased 124 percent. Although there was an increase in the heavy commercial vehicle group compared to the previous year, considering the base effect, the truck market shrank 33 percent, the bus market 46 percent and the midibus market 75 percent compared to 2015.
In the first 4 months of the year, automotive exports increased by 18 percent on a unit basis compared to the same period of 2020 and reached 339 thousand 197 units. Automobile exports increased by 6 percent to 212 thousand 56 units, while tractor exports increased by 110 percent to 8 thousand 469 units.
According to the data of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), automotive industry exports maintained its first place with a share of approximately 15 percent in total exports in the January-April period.
In the first 4 months, total automotive exports increased by 34 percent in dollar terms and 23 percent in euro terms compared to the same period last year. In the said period, automotive exports were 10.3 billion dollars, while automobile exports increased by 18 percent to 3.5 billion dollars. Automobile exports in euro terms increased by 8 percent to 2.9 billion euros.
In the January-April period, the main industry exports increased by 30 percent, and the supply industry exports by 40 percent, on a dollar basis.
According to the data published by the Automotive Distributors Association (ODD), the automobile and light commercial vehicle market decreased by 69.1% monthly in April 2021, while it increased by 132.1% compared to the same month of the previous year and reached 61,412. Since the beginning of the year, the automotive and light commercial market has grown by 140% annually to 362,304 units.
In April 2021, domestic automobile and light commercial vehicle sales decreased by 68.5% monthly and increased by 225.8% compared to the same month of the previous year and reached 26,255 units. Since the beginning of the year, domestic automobile sales grew by 158% annually to 152,429 units.
While the sales of imported automobiles and light commercial vehicles decreased by 69.5% monthly, they increased by 91.1% compared to the same month of the previous year and reached 35,157. Since the beginning of the year, imported automobile sales grew by 129% compared to the same period last year, reaching 209,875 units.