Tesla officially launched in Turkey on April 4th, but with an unexpected twist. The electric car manufacturer has decided to only offer the Model Y for sale, surprising many who expected the company to offer its full range of vehicles. The announcement was made at a special event held in Istanbul, where Tesla also revealed the pricing for the Model Y.
The move into Turkey has been long anticipated, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk announcing plans to launch in the country back in May 2018. However, due to tensions between Turkey and the United States, those plans were put on hold indefinitely. It wasn’t until early 2022 that Tesla began posting job openings for Service Center positions in Turkey, indicating that the launch was finally imminent.
Local media reports had suggested that Tesla would offer its full range of vehicles in Turkey, but the company has decided to start with the Model Y. All three variants of the electric SUV will be available for purchase, but it’s an interesting choice given the popularity of the Model 3 and Model S in other markets.
One factor that may have influenced Tesla’s decision is the 50% Special Consumption Tax (SCT) that is applied to all vehicles in Turkey. The Model Y falls into this bracket, with prices ranging from ₺1,548,732 ($108,000 CAD/$80,000 USD) for the Rear-Wheel Drive version to ₺1,778,821 ($124,000 CAD/$92,600 USD) for the Performance model.
In addition to the launch of sales, Tesla has also announced that it will be opening up its Supercharger network in Turkey in the coming days. The Turkish Energy Market Regulatory Authority recently granted Tesla a license to operate its charging network in the country, and the company has already identified 10 planned stations.
While it remains to be seen how successful Tesla’s launch in Turkey will be, the decision to focus on the Model Y suggests that the company is confident in the popularity of its electric SUV in the country. And with the Supercharger network set to expand, Tesla owners in Turkey will have plenty of options for charging their vehicles.
⚡#Tesla'nın ülkemizde satışa sunacağı ilk araç Model Y'nin fiyat listesi açıklandı.
🟢 Model Y Standart Menzil – 1.548.732 ₺
🟢Model Y Uzun Menzil AWD – 1.619.532 ₺
🟢 Model Y Performance – 1.778.821 ₺Satışa çıkacak tüm modellerin yüzde 50 ÖTV diliminde yer aldığı… pic.twitter.com/HHjSjLjZIl
— Dolubatarya (@DoluBatarya) April 3, 2023
