Automotive markets show shifts in China and Czech Republic

The automotive sectors in China and the Czech Republic are showing divergent trends in vehicle production and sales. In China, retail sales of passenger cars fell by 23.6 percent year-on-year in August to 1.54 million units. Internal combustion engine vehicle sales dropped significantly by approximately 40 percent. However, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) saw a year-on-year increase of 1.7 percent, reaching 698,000 units. While the broader New Energy Vehicle (NEV) category saw a 10.1 percent decline, its market share rose to a record 65.2 percent due to the faster decline of traditional fuel vehicles. Additionally, Chinese NEV exports surged by 154.7 percent in August.

In the Czech Republic, vehicle production has reached nearly one million units this year, with electric vehicle production rising 27 percent to 401,600 units. Škoda Auto, the nation's largest manufacturer, produced 648,393 vehicles from January to August, a 6.2 percent increase. Hyundai's plant in Nošovice saw an 10.8 percent decrease in production, while Toyota's Kolín plant reported a 2.5 percent decline, focusing exclusively on hybrid models. The Czech bus manufacturing sector also grew by 2.8 percent, led by Iveco Czech Republic.