Türkiye must be treated fairly and included in the European Union’s “Made in EU” process, Hyundai Motor Europe CEO Xavier Martinet has asserted.
“Otherwise, we will have to look at different scenarios. However, I think this would create a lose-lose situation for everyone. Producing in Europe instead of Türkiye is more expensive and, in the end, Europe could be the one that loses,” he said.
Martinet, who visited Türkiye for the roll-off ceremony of the fully electric IONIQ 3, the first fully electric vehicle to be produced by Hyundai in the country, said: “We believe Türkiye should be treated fairly and included in the Made in EU process. If this does not happen, there will be consequences.”
“People say, ‘You can move production elsewhere.’ But the issue is not simply moving the production of a car; we are talking about moving an entire ecosystem,” Martinet said.
“If Türkiye is not included, we will have to look at some alternative scenarios. However, I think this would create a lose-lose situation for everyone,” he said.
“If you have to produce in Europe some of the vehicles that could be produced in Türkiye, I am sure that would be more expensive. In the end, if customers cannot buy certain cars because they are more expensive in Europe, or because they become too expensive altogether, then Europe could also be the loser,” Martinet added.
Martinet said Türkiye holds a strategic position within Hyundai’s European and global operations, noting that the company’s plant in İzmit offers significant advantages in terms of production capacity, skilled labor, quality and cost management.
Martinet also said Türkiye has become Hyundai’s third-largest market in Europe after Germany and the United Kingdom. He stressed that the growth recorded in Türkiye is not temporary and that the company intends to sustain it through its product range, dealer network and after-sales investments.
A draft initiative prepared by the European Union in response to competition from China poses significant risks for Türkiye.
While the proposal introduces a “Made in EU” requirement for public incentives and public procurement involving battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles, it also stipulates that 70 percent of production must take place within the EU, even though it covers countries that are part of the Customs Union, including Türkiye.
Since public and fleet purchases account for a significant share of the European automotive market, Türkiye’s exclusion could create risks for Hyundai, which is preparing to manufacture the IONIQ 3 in Türkiye for export to Europe.
