Illustrative picture | Photo: VW
Between January and October 2022, 1,000,375 passenger cars were produced in the Czech Republic, up 11.2% year-on-year. Moreover, the one millionth car milestone was reached a month earlier than in the previous year and the year before that. The automotive industry is thus successfully approaching pre-crisis production figures. In October alone, 101,005 passenger cars were produced. Manufacturers in other vehicle segments also performed well. In the first ten months, 4,296 buses (+14.7%) and 1,488 motorcycles (+72.6%) were produced. The electric vehicle segment exceeded 11% of domestic production of all motor vehicles. 112 829 electric passenger cars and 37 electric buses were produced.
“Despite persistent difficulties in supply chains, final manufacturers continue to increase production, with car production in the Czech Republic growing by 11.2% year-on-year. High energy prices, a possible shortage of natural gas, high inflation and, in particular, the newly introduced draft Euro 7/VII emission standard remain a major challenge for companies. As presented by the European Commission, it counterproductively threatens the technological transformation and the transition to zero-emission mobility. It sets disproportionately strict limits for trucks, may restrict the supply of available passenger vehicles in lower categories and threatens to drain the limited resources that need to be invested in electrification and meeting climate targets”, says Zdeněk Petzl, Executive Director of the Automotive Industry Association.
Passenger vehicles
From January to the end of October, 1,000,375 passenger vehicles were produced in the Czech Republic, up 11.2% year-on-year. In absolute terms, therefore, 100 520 more passenger cars were produced in the period. On a monthly basis, production of passenger vehicles increased by 48.1%, from 68,202 in October 2021 to 101,005 in October 2022. Electric vehicles produced 112,829 units from January to the end of October, accounting for 11.28% of domestic car production. October itself even saw the highest number of electric vehicles produced in a single month since the beginning of 2022, with 14,530 electric vehicles produced, including 9,106 battery BEVs and 5,424 plug-in hybrid PHEVs.
ŠKODA AUTO, the country’s largest carmaker, produced 566,569 passenger cars (+3.5%) at its domestic plants in the first ten months, including 53,061 vehicles (+61.5%) in September alone. ŠKODA produced 59,455 electric cars (battery BEVs and plug-in hybrid PHEVs), or 10.5% of the brand’s total production. More than three-quarters of the electric cars produced were fully electrified vehicles (BEVs).
Hyundai’s Nosovice plant continues its growth trend. In the year to date, it has produced a total of 269,800 passenger cars, 16.5% more than in the first ten months of last year. In October, production was also significantly higher year-on-year, with 26,900 vehicles produced (+10.7%). Of the total, 25,127 vehicles were pure electric and 28,247 were plug-in hybrids, making electric vehicles more than 19.7% of total production.
Production at Toyota of Cologne was also significantly higher year-on-year in October. In total, Toyota produced 164,006 vehicles in the first ten months (+ 35.5%). Almost half of the production was hybrid vehicles (HEVs).
Buses
In the first ten months, 4,296 buses were produced in the Czech Republic (+ 14.7%), In October alone, production increased by almost 60% and a total of 434 units were produced.
IVECO CR in Vysoké Mýto produced 3,824 buses, 12.1% more than in the same period last year. SOR Libchavy managed to produce 440 buses in the first ten months of this year, i.e. 38.4% more than last year. Twenty-three of the brand’s buses are electric (i.e. a share of 5.2%). ŠKODA Electric produced 14 electric buses and the manufacturer KHMC 18 buses in the period.
Motorcycles
The manufacturer JAWA Moto also continues to be very successful. From January to October 2022, the company produced
A total of 55 motorcycles rolled off the domestic brand’s production line in October, representing a 7.8% increase compared to October last year.
