Automotive Industry Association (OSD), which is the umbrella organization of the sector with its 13 members that steer the Turkish automotive industry, shared the production and export numbers and market data for the January-March 2023 period.
Accordingly, total automotive production in the first quarter of the year increased by 21 percent compared to the same period of the previous year and reached 366 thousand 597 units. Automobile production, on the other hand, increased by 34 percent to 222 thousand 51 units. Together with the tractor production, the total production reached 382 thousand 504 units.
In the first quarter of the year, commercial vehicle production increased by 6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. In this period, production in the heavy commercial vehicle group increased by 19 percent, while the production in the light commercial vehicle group increased by 5 percent. During this period, the capacity utilization rate of the automotive industry was 74 percent. On the basis of vehicle group, the capacity utilization rates were 74 percent in light vehicles (cars + light commercial vehicles), 90 percent in the truck group, 43 percent in the bus-midibus group, and 83 percent in the tractor.
Exports increased by 17 percent and reached 8,8 billion dollars
In the first three months of the year, automotive exports increased by 13 percent on a unit basis compared to the same period of the previous year and amounted to 253 units. In this period, automobile exports increased by 828 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, while commercial vehicle exports decreased by 26 percent.
Tractor exports, on the other hand, increased by 2022 percent compared to the same period of 11 and amounted to 5 thousand 229 units. According to the data of the Turkish Exporters Assembly, the total automotive industry exports ranked first in the sectoral exports with 2023 percent in the first quarter of 14. According to Uludag Exporters' Association (UIB) data, total automotive exports in the first quarter increased by 2022 percent compared to the same period of 17 and reached 8,8 billion dollars. In euro terms, it increased by 22 percent to 8,2 billion euros. In this period, exports of the main industry increased by 21 percent in dollar terms, and exports of the supply industry increased by 12 percent.
The total market increased by 55 percent to 247 thousand 904 units.
In the first three months of 2023, the total market increased by 55 percent compared to the same period of the previous year and amounted to 247 thousand 904 units. During this period, the automobile market also increased by 50 percent and reached 175 thousand 421 units. Looking at the commercial vehicle market, in the first three months of the year, compared to the same period of the previous year, the total commercial vehicle market grew by 68 percent, the heavy commercial vehicle market by 50 percent, and the light commercial vehicle market by 72 percent. In the January-March period of 2023, the share of domestic vehicles in automobile sales was 36 percent, and the share of domestic vehicles in the light commercial vehicle market was 54 percent, compared to the same period of the previous year.