Türkiye Cracks Down on Hybrid Car Imports

A Hyundai Motor's NEXO hydrogen car is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2019. (Reuters)
A Hyundai Motor's NEXO hydrogen car is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2019. (Reuters)
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Türkiye Cracks Down on Hybrid Car Imports

A Hyundai Motor's NEXO hydrogen car is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2019. (Reuters)
A Hyundai Motor's NEXO hydrogen car is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea, August 13, 2019. (Reuters)

Türkiye's trade ministry imposed strict conditions on the import of plug-in hybrid vehicles from some countries, including China, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette on Friday.

The move follows a decision in June to limit imports of electric vehicles.

China has faced widespread criticism over its vehicle exports, which many countries claim are heavily subsidised by Beijing, according to Reuters.

Analysts say Ankara is also seeking to increase pressure on Chinese carmakers with which it is holding talks about investing in production in Türkiye.

The notice, which takes effect in 30 days, says an importer must meet conditions including having 20 authorised service shops in seven different regions of Türkiye, in order to import chargeable hybrid vehicles not produced in the European Union or in countries with which Türkiye has a free trade agreement.

Analysts say no importers meet the conditions.

"All plug-in hybrid vehicles that will come from now on will be blocked, apart from those in stock already. Other hybrid cars are already subject to a high customs tax," Erol Sahin, founder of EBS Danismanlik consultancy said.

He added the government was "toughening its message of hurry up" to the Chinese firms with which it is negotiating over domestic production.

In July, China's BYD agreed with the Turkish government to build a $1 billion plant in Türkiye with an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles.

Last week, Turkish sources said BYD's investment process in Türkiye continued without any problems, after China's warning to its companies about the risk of overseas investment.

China's Chery and SAIC are also in talks.

In Europe sales of fully electric vehicles have been falling more rapidly than of hybrid cars, data has shown this week.

Türkiye's domestic car and light vehicle market was at 762,000 units for the first eight months of the year, around the same as last year. Imports of Chinese brands jumped more than two fold to 63,000 units, taking 8% market share, according to industry datatu



Iran Denies Targeting Ex-US officials

25 September 2024, US, Cherokee: Former US president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally inside the Mosack Group manufacturing warehouse in Mint Hill. Photo: Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez/TNS via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, US, Cherokee: Former US president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally inside the Mosack Group manufacturing warehouse in Mint Hill. Photo: Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez/TNS via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Iran Denies Targeting Ex-US officials

25 September 2024, US, Cherokee: Former US president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally inside the Mosack Group manufacturing warehouse in Mint Hill. Photo: Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez/TNS via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, US, Cherokee: Former US president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally inside the Mosack Group manufacturing warehouse in Mint Hill. Photo: Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez/TNS via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Iran said on Thursday that accusations it had targeted former US officials were baseless, after former US president Donald Trump implicated Iran, without offering evidence, in assassination attempts against him.
"It is obvious that such accusations are just a part of creating the election atmosphere in the US...., and not even worth a response," Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in a statement.
Trump, the Republican candidate to return to the presidency, said on Wednesday Iran may have been behind recent attempts to assassinate him and suggested that if he were president and another country threatened a US presidential candidate, it risked being "blown to smithereens.”
"There have been two assassination attempts on my life that we know of, and they may or may not involve, but possibly do, Iran, but I don’t really know," Trump said at an event a pipe-fittings plant in Mint Hill, North Carolina.
Trump made his remarks after US intelligence officials briefed him a day earlier on "real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him," according to his campaign.
Federal authorities are probing assassination attempts targeting Trump at his Florida golf course in mid-September and at a rally in Pennsylvania in July. There has been no public suggestion by law enforcement agencies of involvement by Iran or any other foreign power in either incident.