In January, the production of passenger cars in the Czech Republic fell by 11.7 percent year on year to 104,576 vehicles. The reason is the continuing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which is reflected in the decline in demand for cars in Europe. It was a quarter lower than last year. The Association of the Automotive Industry announced it today.
The smallest decrease was recorded by Škoda Auto, which produced 71,716 vehicles, 5.9 percent less. Hyundai in Nošovice made 18,450 cars, a reduction of 12.6 percent, and 14,410 cars left the line in Toyota, Cologne, 31.8 percent less. Compared to the January production in previous years, it corresponds to this year’s level of 2014 and 2015.
“The 12% decline in January production is certainly not good news in itself. Beginning of the second quarter, “said the president of the association Bohdan Wojnar.
In January, 3,493 electric vehicles were produced in the Czech Republic, which corresponds to 3.3 percent of total production. The predominant plug-in hybrids, which the carmakers produced in 2018, the rest were electric cars.
“The automotive industry continues to be under enormous pressure from general uncertainty, supply disruptions, and dramatic increases in material prices. In many countries, including the Czech Republic, safeguards still limit retail trade, including car sales, and uncoordinated border closures negatively impact. We need rules for the long-term operation of the company with covid-19. In contrast, companies in the automotive industry can set an example for other segments with their measures, thorough preventive testing and tracing, “said Zdeněk Petzl, CEO of AutoSAP.
Bus production fell 21 percent to 297 vehicles in January. After the fighter race at the end of last year, Vysokomýtské Iveco recorded a decrease for the first time since August 2020, by 31.7 percent. In contrast, SOR Libchavy increased production by 189 percent to 52 buses, four of which are electric.
They produced 76 motorcycles in the Jawa Moto plant in Týnec, 55 more machines year-on-year. The production of motorcycles in the company in individual months and years oscillates significantly depending on the acquisition of export orders.