Sales of Tesla in Türkiye have gone from almost dominating the market after its entry a year ago to a near standstill this May.

Elon Musk's electric vehicle maker sold only 10 Tesla cars last month, according to data from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD).

The association noted that while they gather data from other automakers directly, Tesla's figures are estimated based on public statements.

The carmaker's downturn came despite a booming EV market.

Electric vehicle sales in Türkiye increased ninefold last year, making the market bigger than Italy and Spain's.

Overall EV sales hit a record of 65,562 units in 2023, constituting 6.8% of the total auto market.

Sales in the first five months of this year leaped to over 27,600 units, according to the ODMD.

The competition has also been heating up, driven by Türkiye's first homegrown EV maker, Togg, and the entry of several Chinese carmakers, including BYD.

Since its launch, Togg's T10X SUV has accounted for nearly a third of electric car sales in Türkiye, with 19,583 vehicles sold in 2023.

From January through May this year, it sold about 11,288 units, accounting for more than 40% of the market.

Tesla's sales totaled just 412, with its share plunging to 3.65%.

Tesla sales first entered the ODMD's dataset in May 2023 with 200 units sold, marking the company's official entry into the Turkish market. Sales initially accelerated, reaching a peak of 4,700 units in September 2023.

However, they plunged thereafter.

Sales dropped to triple-digit figures in October and showed a brief uptick in November. But the decline resumed, with sales falling to double-digit figures for the first time this February.

In an effort to boost sales, Tesla unveiled a Türkiye-specific Model Y variant this April. The model, equipped with a single motor and a power output not exceeding 160 kilowatts, falls into the 10% special consumption tax (ÖTV) bracket, making it Tesla's most affordable option.