Automotive exports top $2.6 billion in October

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s automotive exports increased by 1.8 percent in October from a year ago to $2.65 billion, the Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters’ Association (OİB) has said.

The industry’s share in the country’s overall export revenues was 12.4 percent last month.

“Despite inflation, looming risks from the global recession and the contraction in the eurozone, our exports continued to grow,” said Baran Çelik, board chair of OİB, noting double-digit increases in sales to the German, Russian and Belgian markets.

The supply industry’s exports rose by 13 percent in October from the same month of 2021 to reach $1 billion but passenger car exports dropped 20 percent year-on-year to $748 million, according to data from the OİB.

Exports of towing vehicles exhibited an annual increase of 95 percent to stand at $214 million.

Germany was the largest market for local automotive companies. Exports to Germany grew 15 percent last month from a year ago to $404 million. The U.K. came second at $285 million, rising 9 percent on an annual basis. Exports to France increased by 12 percent compared with October 2011 to $252 million.

Data from the OİB also showed that exports to other key markets, namely Belgium, Russia, Romania and Portugal grew by 32 percent, 23 percent, 21 percent and 79 percent, respectively.

From January to October, the automotive industry’s exports reached $25 billion, exhibiting an annual increase of 5 percent.

Türkiye may become important global player

Meanwhile, Tuğrul Arıkan, general manager of carmaker Anadolu Isuzu, said that no country in the global supply chain has as strong infrastructure in the automotive industry as Türkiye has.

Türkiye may become an important global player in this field, replacing other companies as a supplier, he added.

“There will be much better developments for the Turkish automotive sector going forward in 2023 and 2024. We need to catch up with the ongoing technological transformation in the supply and main automotive industries and we need to encourage the use of domestically manufactured products,” Arıkan said.

As far as Anadolu Isuzu’s operations are concerned, Arıkan noted that last year the company introduced its first 8-meter-long electric bus to the market. “We are working to launch the 12-meter and 18-meter long buses in 2023 and thereafter. We are also working on an electric minibus,” he said.

Anadolu Isuzu is also looking into hydrogen technology, Arıkan added.

“Our main focus is electric [cars] but we have started studies on hydrogen. We have identified the companies which we are going to work with. Hopefully, we will be able to introduce our hydrogen vehicle, which will be more likely an inner-city bus, at the end of 2024 or in early 2025,” he said.