Czech Republic’s Car Production Continues to Grow Over the Summer

The Czech Republic’s automotive industry remains on a growth trajectory. In the first eight months, both passenger car production and the manufacture of electrified vehicles increased.

Vehicle production in the Czech Republic continued to grow despite factory holidays and summer maintenance work. From January to August, 966,888 passenger cars rolled off production lines nationwide, 1.4 per cent more than in the same period last year.

In the two summer months of July and August alone, a total of 187,280 vehicles were produced in the Czech Republic. Passenger cars accounted for 186,500 of these. Manufacturers traditionally use the summer months for factory holidays, maintenance work, the installation of new technology and preparations for new models.

Electrified Vehicles Account for More Than 41 Per Cent

The production of electrified vehicles increased significantly. Since the beginning of the year, a total of 401,600 electric and hybrid vehicles have been manufactured, an increase of 27 per cent compared with the previous year. They therefore accounted for 41.35 per cent of total passenger car production.

Of the electrified vehicles, 201,700 had hybrid powertrains. These were joined by 33,389 plug-in hybrids and 166,511 fully battery-electric cars.

“Even during the summer holidays, the engine of Czech industry did not come to a standstill,” said Zdeněk Petzl, Executive Director of the Czech Automotive Industry Association. Despite the period traditionally being used for modernisation and production changeovers, the production volume so far remains above last year’s level.

Petzl identified carmaker Škoda Auto as the main driver of growth. He also referred to Hyundai’s preparations in Nošovice for a new generation of the Tucson and the planned production of a battery-electric model at Toyota’s plant in Kolín.

Škoda Auto Significantly Increases Production

From January to August, Škoda Auto produced a total of 648,393 passenger cars at its Czech plants. This was 6.2 per cent more than in the same period last year. Production of electrified models grew particularly strongly, rising by 24.7 per cent to a total of 169,554 vehicles. These included 147,288 fully electric cars and 22,266 plug-in hybrids. Electrified vehicles therefore accounted for 26.1 per cent of Škoda Auto’s total domestic production.

In the first eight months, 173,060 vehicles were produced at Hyundai’s plant in Nošovice. This was 20,880 cars, or 10.8 per cent, fewer than in the same period last year. The vehicles produced included 19,048 fully electric cars and 11,123 plug-in hybrids. Together, they accounted for more than 17.4 per cent of total production.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Czech Republic produced a total of 145,435 cars in Kolín, 2.5 per cent fewer than in the previous year. All vehicles had hybrid powertrains. At the same time, the plant is preparing to produce a fully battery-electric car. Kolín will therefore become Toyota’s first wholly owned plant in Europe to manufacture electric cars. The new city model is to be produced on the same production line as the hybrid Yaris and Aygo models. To achieve this, the plant’s production facilities, battery assembly and logistics will be comprehensively adapted.

More Buses and Motorcycles Produced

Czech bus production also increased. From January to August, a total of 3,638 buses were manufactured, 2.8 per cent more than in the same period last year.

Iveco Czech Republic produced 3,199 buses in Vysoké Mýto. A further 31 pre-assembled vehicles were completed at its sister plant in Foggia, Italy. SOR Libchavy increased its production particularly significantly: with 425 buses, it manufactured 205 vehicles, or 93.2 per cent, more than in the previous year. KHMC delivered 14 minibuses.

In the electrified bus segment, 175 fully battery-electric vehicles were manufactured. Of these, 126 were produced by Iveco Czech Republic and 49 by SOR Libchavy. Iveco also manufactured 266 hybrid buses.

Motorcycle manufacturer Jawa Moto produced a total of 527 motorcycles from January to August. This was two motorcycles, or 0.4 per cent, more than in the same period last year.