Electric Car Race Heats Up: Morocco and Turkey Vie for Europe’s EV Gateway

The imposition by the European Union of countervailing duties on cars manufactured in China has pushed major Chinese companies to find alternative gateways to the continent. They did not hesitate to turn to Morocco. With its assets - gateway to Europe, trade agreements - the kingdom has managed to

attract investments close to $10 billion, including the manufacture and exploitation of minerals essential for batteries, thus consolidating its position as one of the main emerging hubs in the electric car industry and their export to the European market.

However, Morocco is now facing competition from Turkey. Erdogan’s country has also embarked on the race through heavy investments by Chinese companies. Chery has dedicated $1 billion to the construction of a factory in Samsun with a capacity of 200,000 cars per year. BYD has set its sights on the city of Manisa to set up one of its largest factories in the West, including a research and development center. SWM Motors is also preparing to launch its production in Eskişehir.

European groups are interested in Turkey. Renault and Stellantis continue to produce models for the local and European markets. The European Union has dedicated nearly 1 billion euros to support the Turkish automotive industry for the period 2021-2027. These investments have propelled Turkey. The country became the fourth largest electric car sales market in Europe in the first half of 2025, benefiting from generous incentives and tax exemptions.

The competition is now fierce between Rabat and Ankara, each seeking to consolidate their position as the main gateway for electric cars to the European market.