Türkiye’s EU customs union offers edge over Chinese EV rivals

Bartosz Mielecki, executive director of the Polish Automotive Group, told the New Mobility Congress in Katowice that Türkiye's customs union agreement with the European Union provides Ankara with a decisive competitive advantage over Chinese automakers attempting to penetrate the bloc while facing Brussels' heavy import tariffs.

The two-day gathering brought together industry leaders to discuss the evolving automotive landscape, with Mielecki noting that while both nations began developing their automotive sectors during the 1970s, Türkiye successfully established its own domestic brand while Poland concentrated on becoming a leading European component manufacturer.

Divergent industrial paths

Polish automotive output reached €52 billion ($59.3 billion) in 2025, Mielecki stated, with parts and components accounting for half of production while exports exceeded 75% of total sales. Domestic vehicle sales in Poland climbed to 463,000 units during the first eight months of the year, representing a 10% year-on-year increase that surpasses the EU average.

He noted that Chinese automakers have doubled their market share in Poland from 6% to 13% over the past twelve months, adding that impending European import tariffs will create favorable conditions for tariff-exempt Turkish vehicles as regional suppliers confront escalating energy costs and income pressures.

National EV strategies

Mielecki highlighted the contrasting national strategies, pointing out that Türkiye's market-leading electric vehicle brand Togg commenced mass production in 2022 and entered European markets last year, whereas Poland's domestic Izera initiative transitioned to a joint venture model in late 2024 following a decade of independent development.

Future mobility ecosystem

Aleksander Rajch, a board member of the New Mobility Association, told delegates that Poland is working to expand its electric and hydrogen mobility ecosystem into the aviation and maritime sectors, noting that electric vehicle registrations in the country have surged 240-fold since 2016.

The expansion has brought the total number of electric vehicles in Poland's national fleet to 152,000 units. Rajch added that proper implementation of a comprehensive mobility strategy could contribute an additional 5% to Poland's gross domestic product by 2035.