While the standard taxation on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in Turkey is notoriously high, the government has adopted a progressive stance toward green energy and zero-emission vehicles. To promote the adoption of EVs and support domestic initiatives like the Togg brand, Turkey offers massive tax incentives for completely electric vehicles.
If you are an expat or international buyer considering an EV in Turkey, you are looking at Special Consumption Tax (SCT / ÖTV) rates that are a fraction of what you would pay for a standard petrol or diesel car.
In this guide, we will explain the EV tax brackets and show you how to use the "Manual SCT Rate" feature in our Vehicle Price with SCT Calculator to accurately estimate the final price of an electric car.
The EV Tax Brackets: kW vs. CC
For standard ICE cars, the SCT rate is primarily determined by engine cylinder capacity (cc). For electric vehicles, the government ignores engine displacement and instead looks at Engine Power (kW) and the Tax-Free Base Price (Matrah).
(Note: Regulations change frequently. The following rates are representative of recent incentive structures.)
- Under 160 kW Power & Low Base Price: These vehicles receive the maximum incentive, often taxed at an incredible 10% SCT. (This bracket was heavily utilized to promote domestic EVs).
- Under 160 kW Power & High Base Price: If the car is below 160 kW but exceeds a specific luxury price threshold, the rate generally bumps up to 40% SCT.
- Over 160 kW Power & Low Base Price: High-performance EVs that manage to stay under a specific base price threshold are typically taxed at 50% SCT.
- Over 160 kW Power & High Base Price: High-performance luxury EVs fall into the highest EV bracket, usually around 60% SCT.
Even the absolute highest EV tax bracket (60%) is significantly lower than the lowest standard bracket for standard 1.6L ICE cars (which usually starts around 70% or 80%).
How to Calculate EV Prices (Using the Manual Override)
Our calculator is designed to automatically estimate SCT rates based on standard passenger car engine capacity (CC). Because EVs use a different metric (kW), you must bypass the automatic estimation using the "Manual SCT rate" input.
Calculation Example: The 10% Bracket
Let's assume you are buying a mid-range electric SUV with a 150 kW motor and a tax-free base price of 1,300,000 TL. Based on current rules, this vehicle qualifies for the coveted 10% SCT rate.
Here is how you use the calculator:
- Tax-free vehicle price: Enter
1300000. - Engine capacity: You can ignore this field (leave it at default), as our manual override will take precedence.
- Manual SCT rate (0 for automatic): Enter
10. (This tells the system to force a 10% rate). - VAT rate: Leave at
20(Standard VAT applies).
The Mathematical Result:
- Taxable Base: 1,300,000 TL
- SCT Amount (10%): 130,000 TL
- VAT Base: 1,430,000 TL
- VAT Amount (20%): 286,000 TL
- Total Estimated Price: 1,716,000 TL
The Incredible Savings
To understand the magnitude of this incentive, let's look at what would happen if that same vehicle (with a 1,300,000 TL base price) was a standard petrol SUV (e.g., in an 80% SCT bracket).
- Petrol SUV SCT (80%): 1,040,000 TL
- Petrol SUV Total Price: 2,808,000 TL
By opting for an electric vehicle in the 10% bracket, you save over 1,000,000 TL in combined taxes compared to a similarly priced petrol vehicle.
A Note on Disabled Exemption (0% SCT)
The manual override feature is also essential for individuals with specific disabilities (usually requiring a medical board report of 90% or higher disability) who are legally entitled to purchase vehicles with 0% SCT.
If you are calculating a disabled exemption, do not enter '0' in the Manual SCT rate field on the calculator, because entering '0' tells the software to revert to "automatic estimation" mode based on engine CC.
Instead, calculating a 0% SCT vehicle is incredibly simple to do manually: Just take the Tax-Free Base Price and multiply it by 1.20 (to add the 20% VAT).
For all other scenarios, including the complex EV brackets, rely on the Vehicle Price with SCT Calculator to give you an accurate, itemized breakdown of your potential purchase.
