Car production makes up for year-on-year losses in the second quarter

20/7/2022 |Articles are machine translated

Výroba Škoda Enyaq iV | Foto: ŠKODA AUTO

Thanks to increased production in May and June, domestic automakers erased the double-digit year-on-year decline. Between January and June this year, 606,909 passenger cars were produced, down 8.5 percent from 2021. In June alone, 125,374 cars were produced in the country, up 21.6 percent year-on-year. Manufacturers in other segments also fared well. In the first half of the year, 2,625 buses (+ 12.8%), 1,130 motorcycles (+ 102.5%) and 653 trucks (+ 21.4%) were produced. More than a tenth of the domestic production of motor vehicles is made up of electric vehicles. A total of 63 985 of these were produced, including 33 electric buses.

“It is good news that the Czech automotive industry took at least a little breath in the second quarter. The improvement in the situation in the supply and demand chains – especially in the semiconductor chip market – and the flexible response of most manufacturers in securing supplies of raw materials and parts interrupted after the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops had an impact on overall production. But we still need to curb excessive optimism. Particularly in the context of the covid measures in China, there is uncertainty on the markets about further developments and the fact that the closures in the Shanghai area could have an impact on domestic production later in the year. Another issue is, of course, securing gas supplies and other factors related to the tense geopolitical situation,” comments Martin Jahn, President of the Automotive Industry Association. “Although in the middle of the year we could usually estimate the full-year development of production in the car industry, this year it is practically impossible to do so due to a number of negative influences,” adds Martin Jahn.

Passenger vehicles

In the first half of this year, a total of 606,909 passenger cars were produced in domestic plants. This is 8.5 per cent less than in the first half of 2021. Compared to the first quarter, manufacturers managed to reduce the year-on-year decline by more than ten percentage points. This was due to the increase in production in the last two months, in which carmakers produced at pre-crisis levels. In June alone, 125 374 cars were produced (+ 21.6%).

In terms of production location, manufacturers were better able to meet demand, especially in export markets. Nevertheless, 7.9% fewer vehicles were exported in 2022 compared to the first half of 2021, and 15.8% fewer vehicles were placed on the domestic market. Compared to the first quarter, the year-on-year trend has thus reversed (exports – 20.1%, domestic sales – 5.0%).

The largest domestic carmaker, ŠKODA AUTO, produced 351,006 passenger cars at its domestic plants in the first half of the year (- 16.6%), of which 71,351 vehicles were produced in June alone (+ 28.2%). ŠKODA produced 33,903 electric vehicles (battery BEVs and plug-in hybrid PHEVs), i.e. 9.7% of total production. More than three quarters of these are electric vehicles.

Hyundai’s Nosovice plant continues its growth trend. So far this year, it has produced a total of 166,800 passenger cars, 17.1 percent more than in the first half of last year. In June, production was also significantly higher year-on-year, with 31,999 vehicles produced (+22.6 percent). Of the total, 14,818 vehicles were pure electric and 15,231 were plug-in hybrid, making electric vehicles account for more than 18.0 percent of total production.

At Toyota of Cologne, June production was also higher year-on-year. 22,024 vehicles were produced, up 3.3 percent from June 2021. Overall, Toyota produced 89,103 vehicles in the first half of the year (-10.7 percent). Half of the production was hybrid vehicles.

Buses

In the first half of the year, 2,625 buses were produced in the Czech Republic (+ 12.8%), 2,071 buses were exported (+ 5.7%), and the remaining 464 buses were destined for the domestic market (+ 37.7%).

2 326 buses were produced in IVECO CR in Vyso Mity, i.e. 10.1% more than last year. SOR Libchavy managed to produce 274 buses in the first half of this year, i.e. 33.7% more than last year. Nineteen of the brand’s buses are electric (i.e. a share of 6.9%). ŠKODA Electric produced 14 electric buses in the first quarter and the manufacturer KHMC 11 buses (+22.2%).

Trucks

TATRA Trucks, which is the only manufacturer of trucks among the members of the Association of the Automotive Industry, produced 653 vehicles in the first half of this year, i.e. 115 more than in the same period last year (i.e. + 21.4%). Tatra’s production is almost evenly divided between the domestic market (302 units, + 89.9% year-on-year) and exports (288, – 22.8% year-on-year).

Motorcycles

Also the manufacturer JAWA Moto continues to be successful. In the first half of the year, it has already produced 1,130 motorcycles (+ 102.5%). It has been successful both on the Czech market (730 units / + 59.7%) and in exports (400 units / + 296.0%).

Trailers

On the other hand, the trailer segment recorded a decline in the overall total. Between January and June, a total of 13,714 trailers and semi-trailers of all sizes were produced, i.e. 3,385 fewer than last year (- 19.8%). In terms of volume, Agados, which specialises in small trailers up to 3.5 t, accounted for the majority of production. It produced 12,433 units (- 22.0%), sold 6,934 units in the Czech Republic (- 31.2%) and 5,133 units abroad (- 8.6%).

The large trailers and semi-trailers category recorded an 11.1% increase in production. Schwarzmüller produced 1,159 large trailers, 24.0 percent more than last year. PANAV produced 122 trailers and semi-trailers (- 44.0%).

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