Türkiye aims for 4.2 mln EVs by 2035 to reduce gas emissions

ISTANBUL

Türkiye aims for 4.2 million electric vehicles with a 75 percent localization rate, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road transport, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has said.

The country also plans to expand its high-speed rail network to 7,000 kilometers by 2053, increasing rail's share in logistics from 5 percent to 22 percent, the minister said, explaining Türkiye’s 2053 Net Zero Emissions target on the sidelines of the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Türkiye’s EV market is expanding fast with local EV maker Togg leading sales.

EV sales in the country surged 43 percent in January-October to 69,744 units, while hybrid vehicle market expanded by 58 percent to 126,977, according to the latest data from the Automotive Distributors’ and Mobility Association (ODMD).

EVs accounted for 9.3 percent of all vehicle sales in the country in the first 10 months of 2024.

Togg ranked first in the Turkish electric vehicle market with sales of 20,140 units and a 31 percent market share in this period.

U.S. carmaker Tesla and BMW ranked second and third with 7,367 and 6,576 units in sales, respectively, in the January-October period.

Net-zero targets

Speaking at the climate summit Kurum also said Türkiye plans to increase the share of renewable energy to 50 percent and nuclear energy to 30 percent of primary energy by 2053.

Türkiye has raised its renewable energy capacity to 59 percent, ranking fifth in Europe and 11th worldwide, according to Kurum.

Noting that Ankara sets ambitious targets for the energy sector, which accounts for the majority of emissions, he said 72 percent of Türkiye's emissions come from energy, 13 percent from agriculture, and 3 percent from waste.

In industrial targets for 2053, Türkiye aims to reduce emissions by 93 percent in cement, 99 percent in iron and steel, and 75 percent in aluminum, he added.

The minister stated that the building sector aims for near-zero emissions by 2053, potentially preventing 2 billion tons of CO2-equivalent emissions.

In waste management, Türkiye will phase out landfill disposal, increase recycling rates to 70 percent, and implement a Deposit Management System by 2025 to curb methane emissions, he stated.

“In agriculture, we will expand organic farming to 10 percent of farmland, optimize livestock feed, expand biogas facilities and prioritize food security. In forestry, we will increase carbon sink capacity through conservation, green spaces and green corridors,” Kurum added.

Kurum anticipated Türkiye's Climate Law will be passed this year, accelerating the green transformation and aligning with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in 2026.