Dozens of imported Chinese cars stuck at customs

ISTANBUL

Some 600 cars imported from China are stuck at Turkish customs as new regulations regarding electric vehicles came into force at the end of last year.

According to a Trade Ministry decree, companies importing EVs must have authorized service stations in seven regions of the country. Imports from the EU and countries having free-trade agreements with Türkiye are exempt from the decree.

Representatives from the auto industry had already predicted that the new regulations would hit Chinese brands particularly hard.

Amid the new regulation, Chinese carmakers are now diverting their vehicles initially slated for the Turkish market to Europe.

Some 550 vehicles of carmaker Skywell have been sitting idle at the Gölcük customs. The local distributor of the Chinese carmaker is shipping some of those vehicles to Europe. Skywell, which was planning to establish a battery plant in Türkiye, last year sold 2,451 cars in the country.

Another carmaker MG, which produces its cars in China, is resorting to the same solution.

Not only Chinese brands but other foreign carmakers are also affected. For instance, Volvo has shelved plans to introduce its EX30 model SUV, which is produced in China, to the Turkish market. The company will wait to see if the regulation is changed. If not, it will wait until the production of this model starts in Belgium.

Japanese carmaker Honda is also reconsidering its plan to introduce e:Nyi model vehicle to the local market this year.

Companies which brought cars to Türkiye before Dec. 29 can still sell those vehicles.