While the Czech Republic quietly celebrated its thirteenth-place global ranking for passenger car production last year, that statistic barely scratches the surface of a national industry that is not only an export powerhouse but also a buzzing hive of R&D, skilled employment, and a cornerstone of the nation's economy.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Czech Republic produced 1,296,800 passenger cars, accounting for 92% of total vehicle production
- Skoda Auto's Mladá Boleslav plant manufactured 878,200 vehicles in 2022
- Total vehicle production in Czechia reached 1,428,000 units in 2021
- The automotive sector employed 132,000 people directly in 2023
- Skoda Auto workforce stood at 29,000 in Czechia in 2022
- Supplier network employs 250,000 indirectly in auto industry
- Exports of vehicles from Czechia totaled 16.5 billion EUR in 2023
- Skoda Auto exported 95% of its production worth 14 billion EUR in 2022
- Germany received 35% of Czech auto exports in 2023
- FDI in auto industry reached 2.5 billion EUR in 2023
- Skoda Auto capex was 1.2 billion EUR in 2022
- Hyundai invested 500 million EUR in Nošovice expansion 2023
- Domestic sales of vehicles in Czechia were 285,000 units in 2023
- Skoda market share in Czechia: 48% with 137,000 cars sold 2022
- New car registrations: 240,100 in 2022, down 8% YoY
The Czech auto industry is a major exporter, with production and employment rebounding strongly after the pandemic.
Employment
- The automotive sector employed 132,000 people directly in 2023
- Skoda Auto workforce stood at 29,000 in Czechia in 2022
- Supplier network employs 250,000 indirectly in auto industry
- Average wage in Czech auto sector was 45,000 CZK monthly in 2023
- Women represent 28% of Czech auto workforce in 2022
- Training hours per employee averaged 40 in Skoda 2023
- Unemployment rate among auto workers was 2.1% in 2023
- Engineers in auto sector numbered 35,000 in Czechia 2022
- Temporary workers in peak seasons reached 15,000 in 2023
- Hyundai Nošovice employs 5,500 workers as of 2023
- Toyota Kolín staff totaled 3,800 in 2022
- Labor productivity in Czech auto grew 4.5% YoY in 2023
- Overtime hours averaged 120 per worker annually in 2022
- Vocational training programs graduated 8,000 auto specialists in 2023
- Foreign workers comprise 12% of auto workforce in 2023
- Absenteeism rate in industry was 3.2% in 2023
- R&D staff in auto sector: 12,000 in Czechia 2022
- Shift work covers 85% of production employees
- Age average of workers: 42 years in 2023
- Digital skills training reached 70% of workforce in 2023
- Safety incidents dropped 15% to 1,200 cases in 2022
- Part-time contracts: 5% of total auto employment 2023
- Apprenticeships: 4,500 active in auto firms 2023
- Wage growth: 7.2% in auto sector 2023
- Female engineers: 18% increase to 4,200 in 2022
Employment Interpretation
While the Czech automotive engine may be purring with low unemployment and a 4.5% productivity boost, its chassis groans with overtime, its passenger seat is still stubbornly male, and its future relies on racing to upskill everyone from apprentices to seasoned engineers to keep this economic juggernaut from stalling.
Exports
- Exports of vehicles from Czechia totaled 16.5 billion EUR in 2023
- Skoda Auto exported 95% of its production worth 14 billion EUR in 2022
- Germany received 35% of Czech auto exports in 2023
- Vehicle exports volume: 1,250,000 units in 2022
- Parts exports reached 12 billion EUR in 2023
- EU market share of Czech vehicles: 5.2% in 2022
- China imported 120,000 Skoda cars from Czechia in 2023
- USA exports of Czech components: 1.2 billion USD in 2022
- Trade surplus in autos: 10.8 billion EUR in 2023
- UK post-Brexit imports from Czechia: 250,000 vehicles 2022
- Slovakia imported 8% of Czech auto exports in 2023
- Poland as export destination: 150,000 vehicles 2022
- Export growth rate: 3.5% YoY for vehicles in 2023
- Engines exported: 1.6 million units worth 4 billion EUR 2022
- Gearboxes to VW group: 1.4 million exported 2023
- EVs exported: 40,000 units to EU in 2023
- Africa market exports: 50,000 vehicles 2022
- Logistics cost for exports: 2.5% of value in 2023
- Customs clearance time averaged 4 hours for auto exports 2022
- France imported 180,000 Czech cars in 2023
- Italy exports: 140,000 vehicles 2022
Exports Interpretation
Czechia expertly drives the global auto trade, with Škoda leading a precision export engine that powers European roads, supplies key parts worldwide, and quietly shifts the industry's gears towards a lucrative future.
Investments
- FDI in auto industry reached 2.5 billion EUR in 2023
- Skoda Auto capex was 1.2 billion EUR in 2022
- Hyundai invested 500 million EUR in Nošovice expansion 2023
- Toyota Kolín modernization cost 300 million EUR in 2022
- R&D spending in Czech auto: 1.1 billion EUR in 2023
- VW group total investment in Czech plants: 40 billion EUR cumulative to 2023
- Battery gigafactory planned investment: 2 billion EUR by Northvolt 2024
- Supplier investments: 800 million EUR in new lines 2022
- Government subsidies for auto R&D: 150 million EUR in 2023
- Digitalization investments: 400 million EUR across sector 2023
- EV transition funding: 600 million EUR EU grants 2022-2023
- Tatra Trucks received 50 million EUR for electrification 2023
- Robotics investments: 200 million EUR in 2022 plants
- New plant constructions: 5 facilities with 1 billion EUR 2023
- Joint ventures FDI: 300 million EUR Korean-Czech 2022
- Patent filings funded: 1,200 with 20 million EUR support 2023
- Infrastructure for logistics: 100 million EUR highways 2022
- Training centers investment: 50 million EUR by Skoda 2023
- Sustainable energy plants: 150 million EUR solar 2023
- M&A deals in suppliers: 200 million EUR value 2022
Investments Interpretation
While the Czech Republic’s auto industry is still fueled by a river of cash, it’s now flowing toward smarter factories, charged-up batteries, and sun-powered plants, proving the country's engine of investment has successfully shifted gears for the electric age.
Production
- In 2023, the Czech Republic produced 1,296,800 passenger cars, accounting for 92% of total vehicle production
- Skoda Auto's Mladá Boleslav plant manufactured 878,200 vehicles in 2022
- Total vehicle production in Czechia reached 1,428,000 units in 2021
- Hyundai's Nošovice plant produced 284,500 vehicles in 2023
- Toyota's Kolín plant output was 192,300 vehicles in 2022
- In 2020, Czech auto production dropped to 1,120,000 units due to COVID-19
- The Czech Republic ranked 13th globally in passenger car production with 1,246,000 units in 2022
- Karosa bus production in Czechia was 1,200 units in 2019 before merger
- Tatra Trucks produced 1,800 heavy vehicles in 2023
- Avia Motors output reached 3,200 trucks in 2022
- In Q1 2024, Czech vehicle production was 345,600 units
- Skoda's Vrchlabí gearbox plant produced 1.5 million transmissions in 2023
- PSA Peugeot's Trnava plant (Slovakia border impact) contributed indirectly to 150,000 Czech exports
- Czech engine production totaled 1,800,000 units in 2022
- Body-in-white production in Czechia exceeded 1.2 million in 2023
- Electric vehicle production in Czechia reached 45,000 units in 2023
- Skoda Octavia production hit 500,000 units from Mladá Boleslav in 2022
- Kodiaq SUV production at Kvasiny plant was 250,000 in 2023
- Component suppliers produced 28 billion EUR worth of parts in 2022
- Welding robots in Czech plants numbered over 5,000 in 2023
- Paint shop capacity in Skoda plants processed 1 million cars annually
- Assembly line speed at Hyundai Nošovice averages 60 cars per hour
- Toyota Kolín produced 120,000 Aygo X models in 2023
- Tatra Phoenix truck variants totaled 1,200 units in 2022
- Avia D120 chassis production was 2,500 in 2023
- Bus production by Iveco Czech plants reached 2,500 units in 2022
- Forged parts output by Czech suppliers was 500,000 tons in 2023
- Plastic injection molding for autos produced 300,000 tons in 2022
- Tire production in Czechia totaled 4 million units in 2023
- Battery assembly for EVs reached 20,000 packs in 2023
Production Interpretation
While one Czech plant can build a car in a minute, the entire industry, a precise and mighty engine in its own right, has meticulously assembled a position as Europe's indispensable automotive heart.
Sales
- Domestic sales of vehicles in Czechia were 285,000 units in 2023
- Skoda market share in Czechia: 48% with 137,000 cars sold 2022
- New car registrations: 240,100 in 2022, down 8% YoY
- EV sales in Czech market: 25,000 units in 2023
- Used car market volume: 550,000 transactions 2022
- SUV segment share: 42% of new sales in 2023
- Hyundai domestic sales: 35,000 vehicles 2022
- Toyota sales: 28,000 units in Czechia 2023
- Dealer network: 300 outlets for new cars 2022
- Average new car price: 650,000 CZK in 2023
- Fleet sales: 35% of total new registrations 2022
- Private buyer share: 55% in 2023
- Leasing penetration: 42% of new sales 2022
- Diesel share dropped to 18% in new sales 2023
- Hybrid sales: 45,000 units 2023
- Premium brands sales: 12% market share 2022
- Online sales growth: 25% of transactions 2023
- Waiting time average: 4 months for popular models 2022
- Export-to-sales ratio: 85% for Skoda 2023
- Aftersales revenue: 2 billion EUR sector-wide 2022
- Commercial vehicle sales: 35,000 units 2023
- Motorcycle sales negligible at 5,000 units 2022
Sales Interpretation
Czechs are keeping Škoda's home turf cozy with nearly half the market while the used car lot overflows, and everyone, from cash-strapped private buyers to big fleets leasing SUVs, is waiting months for new rides, causing a gridlock of anticipation as diesel cools and hybrids quietly creep in.
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