Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment

Yunus Furuncu

doi:10.15869/itobiad.1963509

EN TR

Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment

Abstract

The global transition to electric mobility has accelerated considerably, yet countries continue to exhibit substantial differences in the pace, scale, and structural configuration of electrification. While prior research has largely focused on the determinants of electric vehicle (EV) adoption, comparatively limited attention has been devoted to identifying distinct national transition patterns that reflect the joint development of EV markets and supporting infrastructure. To address this gap, this study develops strategic typologies of national EV transitions from a configurational perspective. Using the historical component of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Global EV Data 2024 dataset, this analysis examines 31 countries with respect to three indicators: EV sales share, EV stock share, and public charging infrastructure. A reproducible Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) analysis identifies three empirical clusters: Early Transition Markets, Advanced Transition Economies, and Frontier Transition Economies, with the latter comprising Norway and Iceland. Robustness analyses using alternative clustering techniques support the broader empirical distinction among early, advanced, and frontier transition configurations. Within the frontier cluster, Norway and Iceland are further classified as two theoretically distinct subprofiles because they display markedly different combinations of market penetration and infrastructure scale, with Norway an Extreme Frontrunner and Iceland a High-Penetration Niche Frontrunner. The findings demonstrate that national EV transitions do not follow a single, linear electrification pathway but rather emerge from different configurations of market formation and infrastructure readiness. By distinguishing empirically identified clusters from theoretically interpreted subprofiles, the study avoids conflating statistical classification with conceptual interpretation. The study contributes to EV-transition research, sustainability-transition research, configurational research, and strategic-management research by conceptualizing national EV-transition capability as the capacity to align market development with infrastructure readiness. The resulting typology also provides a comparative framework for understanding differentiated national electrification pathways and their strategic and policy implications.

Keywords

Strategic Management, Electric Vehicle Transition, Transition Capability, Strategic Positioning, Configurational Analysis, Sustainable Mobility

Supporting Institution

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial organization, or not-for-profit institution.

Ethical Statement

This study was conducted using publicly available secondary data sources. No human participants were involved, and no surveys, interviews, or experiments were conducted. Therefore, ethics committee approval was not required.

Thanks

The author would like to thank the reviewers and editors for their valuable comments and suggestions, which helped improve the quality of this study.

Abstract

Küresel Elektrikli Araç Geçişinde Stratejik Konumlandırma: Piyasa-Altyapı Uyumunun Yapısal Analizi

Abstract

Küresel elektrikli mobiliteye geçiş önemli ölçüde hızlanmış olsa da, ülkeler elektrifikasyonun hızı, ölçeği ve yapısal konfigürasyonu bakımından önemli farklılıklar göstermeye devam etmektedir. Önceki çalışmalar büyük ölçüde elektrikli araç (EA) benimsenmesinin belirleyicilerine odaklanmışken, elektrikli araç pazarları ile bunları destekleyen altyapının ortak gelişimini yansıtan farklı ulusal geçiş örüntülerinin belirlenmesine görece sınırlı düzeyde dikkat gösterilmiştir. Bu boşluğu ele alan çalışma, ulusal elektrikli araç geçişlerine ilişkin stratejik tipolojileri yapılandırmacı bir perspektiften geliştirmektedir. Uluslararası Enerji Ajansı’nın(IEA)Global EV Data 2024 veri setinin tarihsel bileşeni kullanılarak yürütülen analizde, 31 ülke üç gösterge temelinde incelenmektedir: elektrikli araç satış payı, elektrikli araç stok payı ve kamusal şarj altyapısı. Tekrarlanabilir bir Gauss Karışım Modeli (GMM) analizi üç ampirik küme belirlemektedir: Erken Geçiş Pazarları, Gelişmiş Geçiş Ekonomileri ve Norveç ile İzlanda’dan oluşan Öncü Geçiş Ekonomileri. Öncü küme içinde Norveç ve İzlanda, pazar penetrasyonu ile altyapı ölçeğinin belirgin biçimde farklı kombinasyonlarını sergilemeleri nedeniyle teorik olarak iki ayrı alt profil şeklinde yorumlanmaktadır: Norveç “Aşırı Öncü”, İzlanda ise “Yüksek Penetrasyonlu Niş Öncü” olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Alternatif kümeleme teknikleri kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen sağlamlık analizleri, erken, gelişmiş ve öncü geçiş konfigürasyonları arasındaki genel ampirik ayrımı desteklemektedir. Bulgular, ulusal elektrikli araç geçişlerinin tek ve doğrusal bir elektrifikasyon yolunu izlemediğini; bunun yerine pazar oluşumu ile altyapı hazırlığının farklı konfigürasyonları yoluyla ortaya çıktığını göstermektedir. Çalışma, ampirik olarak belirlenen kümeleri teorik olarak yorumlanan alt profillerden ayırarak istatistiksel sınıflandırma ile kavramsal yorumun birbirine karıştırılmasını önlemektedir. Ayrıca ulusal elektrikli araç geçiş yeteneğini, pazar gelişimi ile altyapı hazırlığını uyumlaştırma kapasitesi olarak kavramsallaştırarak elektrikli araç geçişi, sürdürülebilirlik geçişleri, yapılandırmacı araştırmalar ve stratejik yönetim literatürüne katkıda bulunmaktadır. Ortaya çıkan tipoloji aynı zamanda farklılaşmış ulusal elektrifikasyon yollarını ve bunların stratejik ve politika sonuçlarını anlamaya yönelik karşılaştırmalı bir çerçeve sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Stratejik Yönetim, Elektrikli Araç Geçişi, Geçiş Yeteneği, Stratejik Konumlandırma, Yapılandırma Analizi, Sürdürülebilir Hareketlilik

Supporting Institution

Bu araştırma herhangi bir kurum, kuruluş veya fon sağlayıcı tarafından desteklenmemiştir.

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma kamuya açık ikincil veri kaynakları kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma kapsamında insan katılımcılardan veri toplanmamış, anket, mülakat veya deney uygulanmamıştır. Bu nedenle etik kurul onayı gerekmemektedir.

Thanks

Yazar, çalışmanın geliştirilmesine katkı sağlayan hakemlere ve editörlere değerli görüş ve önerileri için teşekkür eder.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Strategy, Management and Organisational Behaviour (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Yunus Furuncu ^*
0000-0001-7488-365X
Türkiye

Publication Date

September 30, 2026

Submission Date

June 3, 2026

Acceptance Date

September 30, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 15 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.1963509

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA24FF99RW

APA

Furuncu, Y. (2026). Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment. İnsan Ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 15(3), 2829-2852. https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.1963509

AMA

1.Furuncu Y. Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment. itobiad. 2026;15(3):2829-2852. doi:10.15869/itobiad.1963509

Chicago

Furuncu, Yunus. 2026. “Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment”. İnsan Ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi 15 (3): 2829-52. https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.1963509.

EndNote

Furuncu Y (September 1, 2026) Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi 15 3 2829–2852.

IEEE

[1]Y. Furuncu, “Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment”, itobiad, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 2829–2852, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.15869/itobiad.1963509.

ISNAD

Furuncu, Yunus. “Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment”. İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi 15/3 (September 1, 2026): 2829-2852. https://doi.org/10.15869/itobiad.1963509.

JAMA

1.Furuncu Y. Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment. itobiad. 2026;15:2829–2852.

MLA

Furuncu, Yunus. “Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment”. İnsan Ve Toplum Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, vol. 15, no. 3, Sept. 2026, pp. 2829-52, doi:10.15869/itobiad.1963509.

Vancouver

1.Yunus Furuncu. Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment. itobiad. 2026 Sep. 1;15(3):2829-52. doi:10.15869/itobiad.1963509

Journal of the Human and Social Science Researches is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY NC).

Strategic Positioning in the Global EV Transition: A Configurational Analysis of Market-Infrastructure Alignment

Abstract

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Ethical Statement

Thanks

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Küresel Elektrikli Araç Geçişinde Stratejik Konumlandırma: Piyasa-Altyapı Uyumunun Yapısal Analizi

Abstract

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Ethical Statement

Thanks

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

Cite