In the first two months of this year, a total of 234,341 passenger cars were assembled on the production lines of domestic manufacturers, representing a decline of 11% compared to the previous year. In contrast, the production of buses showed further growth, with a total of 863 units assembled, reflecting an increase of 27% compared to the previous year. The share of electrically powered vehicles rose to 16.9% of total production. This is according to the latest data from the Czech Association of the Automotive Industry.
“The slower pace of new car production, which correlates with the decline in registrations in key European markets such as Germany, France, Italy, and the UK, is also reflected in the production data for February. On the other hand, we are seeing a significant year-on-year increase in the production of electric vehicles, whose share of domestic production rose from 7% in the previous year to 16.9% in the first two months of the year,” says Zdeněk Petzl, Managing Director of the Czech Association of the Automotive Industry (SAP).
Passenger Cars
In January and February, 234,341 passenger cars were produced in the Czech Republic, representing a decrease of 10.9% compared to the same period last year. During this time, 39,590 electric vehicles were produced, more than doubling their share of domestic vehicle production compared to the previous year, now accounting for 16.9%. A total of 30,532 purely electric BEV and 9,058 plug-in hybrid PHEV vehicles were produced.
The largest domestic car manufacturer, Škoda Auto, produced 151,429 passenger cars (-6.4%) at its Czech plants in January and February. Of these, 29,648 were electric vehicles (BEV and PHEV), accounting for 19.6% of the brand’s total production. Of these, 24,861 were all-electric vehicles and 4,787 were plug-in hybrids.
The Hyundai plant in Nošovice produced a total of 44,440 vehicles in the first two months, a decrease of 24.4% compared to the same period last year. Of the total number of vehicles, 5,671 were purely electric and 4,271 were plug-in hybrids. In total, electric vehicles accounted for 22.4% of total production.
The Toyota plant in Kolín recorded a 9.5% drop in production in the first two months. A total of 38,472 passenger cars were produced in Kolín at the beginning of the year. Almost 58% of these were vehicles of the hybrid model Yaris HEV.
Bus and Motorbike Production
In January and February 2025, 185 more buses were produced in the Czech Republic than in the same period of the previous year. Total production thus reached 863 buses, an increase of 27.3% compared to the previous year.
In the motorbike sector, the long-established manufacturer Jawa Moto recorded a year-on-year decline in production in January and February. In the first two months, a total of 101 motorbikes rolled off the brand’s production lines, a decrease of 33.6% (51 fewer motorbikes compared to last year).
American Tariffs are Hurting Car Manufacturers, Their Suppliers, and Consumers on Both Sides of the Atlantic
In addition to declining sales in key European markets, the Czech Association of the Automotive Industry has expressed serious concern over the US President’s announcement of additional tariffs of 25% on all vehicles not manufactured in the US. These tariffs, which are due to come into force on 3 April, pose a direct threat to European manufacturers and suppliers, disrupting global supply chains and jeopardising their competitiveness. This comes at a time when the automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation and facing increasing international competition. At the same time, these tariffs send a disastrous signal for rules-based free trade and will have a negative impact on consumers, not only in Europe but also in North America.
