By 2026, electric vehicles won't just reduce the need for servicing, they will transform it!

The automotive spare parts and aftermarket sector is preparing for a radical transformation towards 2026, moving away from classic business models and embracing digitalization, sustainability, and AI-powered supply management. Saim Aşçı, CEO of Motor Aşin, a 55-year-old industry player, and also the Chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce's 52nd Committee on Land Vehicles, Spare Parts and Equipment, assessed the dynamics, risks, and opportunities of the upcoming period.

According to Aşçı, the automotive sector is now competing not only with production and inventory management, but also with data, software, carbon measurement, and agile supply capabilities. “Internal combustion engine-centric supply chains are giving way to a more hybrid, modular, and software-intensive production ecosystem. Now, a part alone is no longer a product; the part + service + data triangle forms the new competitive arena,” said Saim Aşçı, CEO of Motor Aşin, emphasizing that power electronics, battery chemistries, and software-based solutions will play a decisive role.

“Competence is shifting from inventory to software”

Describing 2026 as a “turning point year,” Aşçı stated, “As a software layer is added to the power of machine and hardware-centric companies, the governance of the supply chain is also transforming into a more corporate and measurable structure. AI-powered purchasing decisions, carbon footprint measurement, sustainable logistics routes, and agility to meet mobility needs are no longer a choice, but a necessity.”

Aşçı noted that the strengthening of global purchasing alliances, the proliferation of private label products, and distributors achieving cost advantages through economies of scale will also be among the main trends of 2026, adding that the traditional aftermarket will also be reshaped in line with the service needs of electric vehicles.

“We have built our 2026 strategy on three pillars”

Saim Aşçı stated that Motor Aşin has grouped its 2026 strategy under three main headings:

“Firstly, scaling our supply power with global purchasing consortia. We will use our international purchasing network more effectively through structures such as TEMOT International Trade Group and TATCOM. Secondly, a sustainable and carbon-neutral supply chain design. Thirdly, strengthening our private label product portfolio. We will create a new growth axis in the private label sector with lean and strong brand names that can compete on an international scale.”

On the other hand, Motor Aşin aims to use its warehouse space, which is approaching 40,000 square meters in total, more efficiently with smart RF and barcode systems (WMS), while aiming to ensure end-to-end transparency in all processes from sales to purchasing, logistics to export, through ERP integration.

“Electric vehicles won’t reduce the need for servicing, they will transform it.”

Aşçı emphasized that the perception that the electric vehicle transformation will eliminate the need for servicing and spare parts is incorrect, stating, “On the contrary, a new service and parts competency is emerging. The need for servicing will increase in more software-centric areas such as batteries, inverters, charge controllers, and power electronics. This transformation holds new opportunities for the aftermarket sector.”

Stating that they address digitalization and sustainability together, Aşçı said, “Our role as a distributor is not just to offer parts; it is to deliver the part to the customer with the least carbon footprint, the shortest route, and the most transparent data flow.”

2026 holds both opportunities and risks.

According to Aşçı, the biggest opportunities for the sector in 2026 will be: consolidating purchasing power to gain a cost advantage, competing with global players with private labels, and making financing more flexible with fintech solutions integrated into ERP. However, fluctuating exchange rates, logistics cost inflation, geopolitical risks, and the loss of decision-making agility for companies that fail to keep pace with digital transformation are among the most significant risk factors. "High-quality and unpolluted data sets are essential for AI-driven purchasing decisions. Companies that cannot properly structure their data will feel the market pressure even more severely in 2026," said Aşçı, emphasizing that ERP integration has now become a fundamental condition for competition.

New collaborations and investments are on the way

Aşçı also stated that Motor Aşin's investment and collaboration plans for 2026 have been finalized, adding that they have strengthened supply and purchasing dialogues with global brands and expanded their portfolio with global suppliers. He also stated that they have accelerated corporate competency and management training through the Aşın Academy established within the company: “Strengthening warehouse automation, completing micro-service integrations on the ERP system, and bringing private label product packaging up to international standards are among our main investment areas. We see 2026 as the year of sustainable growth with the right data, the right collaborations, and the right governance.”