Vehicle Park Growth in Türkiye and Germany Creates Opportunity for the Service Sector

As Türkiye's vehicle park continues to grow, the service and maintenance ecosystem is also transforming with new technologies. Heating and cooling systems of millions of vehicles on the roads are among the busiest agenda items of services, especially before winter. Solutions that clean the system in place instead of disassembling the part are on the radar of workshops with the advantage of time and cost. Turkish service equipment manufacturers are carrying this transformation to the European market via Frankfurt. ELCİ Electronic Air Conditioning Founder Ahmet Kaşka emphasized that the growing vehicle park creates a strong opportunity for domestic service technologies.

According to the Motor Land Vehicles bulletin published by TÜİK on September 16, 2026, as of the end of August 2026, the total number of vehicles registered to traffic in Türkiye reached 34 million 911 thousand 879. The number of automobiles, which ranked first with a share of 51.7 percent in the total, was recorded as 18 million 37 thousand 907. In the January-August period, the total number of vehicles in traffic increased by a net 1 million 300 thousand 493 units. According to the same bulletin, 917 thousand 143 vehicles changed hands in August alone, while 66.4 percent of the transferred vehicles were automobiles. This picture points to a large and highly mobile vehicle park in need of regular maintenance and service.

This size of the vehicle park directly shapes the business volume and equipment needs of the service sector. Evaluating the data, Ahmet Kaşka, Founder of ELCİ Electronic Air Conditioning, conveyed the meaning of the figures for the services with the following words: "More than 18 million cars are in traffic in Türkiye and the heating and cooling systems of each one require professional maintenance over time. The fact that more than 917 thousand vehicles change hands in just one month also increases the frequency of second-hand vehicles being serviced. With the devices we have developed as ELCİ since 2003, the services have been able to service this large vehicle park faster and more economically." "And we ensure that it provides more reliable service."

"EUROPE'S LARGEST VEHICLE PARK WILL OPEN NEW DOORS TO TURKISH SERVICE TECHNOLOGY"

According to data from the German Federal Motor Vehicles Agency (KBA), as of January 1, 2026, the number of motor vehicles registered in Germany increased by 0.4 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 61 million 341 thousand 244. Passenger cars continued to be the largest class in the park, increasing by 0.3 percent to 49 million 486 thousand 487 units. This size keeps Germany among the countries with one of the most crowded vehicle parks in Europe. Germany, considered the heart of the automotive after-sales industry, is also one of the most competitive showcases in the world for service equipment manufacturers. The Automechanika fair, held in Frankfurt between 8 and 12 September 2026, became the most visible meeting point of this showcase.

Kaşka emphasizes that the large vehicle park in Germany is a strategic market for Turkish service technology. "Approximately 49.5 million cars are in traffic in Germany, and the heating-cooling systems of these vehicles require regular maintenance, just like those in Turkey. Europe's service sector invests in quality, speed and proven technology; I believe that Turkish manufacturers have the engineering know-how to meet this expectation. We exhibited our wide product range, ranging from air conditioning service machines to leak detection and refrigerant gas identification devices, at Automechanika Frankfurt with our structuring in Germany, STARKA AutoTech GmbH. We exhibited our wide product range from air conditioning service machines to leak detection and refrigerant gas identification devices in Frankfurt, with our structuring in Germany, STARKA AutoTech GmbH. "We had productive meetings with the distributor, importer and service company," he says. Kaşka adds that ELCİ carries out its sales, service and technical support activities in Europe through this structure based in Germany, and that the fair is an important step that strengthens the brand's awareness in Europe.

THE PERIOD OF ON-SITE CLEANING IS BEGINNING IN SERVICES INSTEAD OF "REMOVING"

One of the most obvious trends in the automotive service industry in recent years is the strengthening of the concept of cleaning and repairing the system on-site rather than directly replacing the defective part. The most common complaints expressed by drivers during the winter months are that the heater does not heat sufficiently, hot air comes from one side and cold air comes from the other side, or the cabin temperature does not reach the desired level. A significant part of these problems; It is caused by antifreeze residues, lime, rust and oxidation narrowing the thin channels of the heater core over time.

In many vehicles, replacing the heater core requires dismantling the front console; This means long labor time, high costs and the risk of damage to plastic, clips and electronic equipment. A similar picture is seen in turbo failures: In some cases, engine oil can mix with the cooling water and leave oily residues in the radiator, hoses and engine cooling channels. Even if the turbo is replaced, these residues remaining in the system can prevent the cooling water circulation and cause the engine temperature to rise. For this reason, controlled washing technologies are at the top of the investment list of services, with their potential to both shorten labor time and preserve the original structure of the vehicle.

"WE WILL BRING OUR ENGINEERING, WHICH PRODUCES FIRSTS, TO THE WORLD WITH A LARGER CAPACITY"

Founded in 2003, ELCİ Elektronik Klima is among Türkiye's well-established technology manufacturers that develop gas filling and service devices for vehicle air conditioning systems. The company expanded its production facility in 2026, increasing its total closed area to 5,750 square meters and significantly increasing its production capacity. Ahmet Kaşka explained the brand's journey, investments and its new product, ELCİ RTC 3: