The automotive industry is one of the largest industries and export sector in Turkey, with OSD, the Automotive Manufacturers Association, representing 14 manufacturers.

Automotive production and sales of the Turkish industry is mainly driven by conventional vehicles, as the pure electric and hybrid electric vehicle market still represents a negligible fraction of the total vehicle sales.

Even though the current H&EV sales are still very low, the future sales of these vehicles are expected to increase significantly due to the government incentives in terms of significantly lower vehicle taxes and the developed action plans that encourages automotive manufacturers to start introducing alternative fuel vehicles to the Turkish market.

The Turkish government has taken significant steps to gain and accumulate experience associated with the underlying electric vehicle technologies in the country. Thus, various policies, legislations and investments made to further the research and development of H&EVs and their subcomponents in research institutes, universities and the industry. Several funding mechanisms, projects and clusters initiated in this area and significant work has been conducting to bring universities, R&D organizations and private companies together. The government launched major research programs by supporting R&D projects regarding electric vehicles (EVs) and subcomponent technologies.

Calls for project proposals in these areas have been announced and executed by TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey). Significant strategies have been put forth in order to reinforce the associated infrastructure, improve the capacity of the corresponding test centers and develop underlying vehicle technologies.