Czech automotive production fell -19% on-year in 2020 to 1.16 million units, with exports down -20% to 1.06m units, according to the latest Czech Automotive Industry Association (AIA) data seen by Kallanish. Output did however rebound in the second half-year from the earlier Covid-19-lockdown-induced disruptions.

The Czech Republic is Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)’s largest car manufacturer, sourcing automotive steel from US Steel Kosice (USSK) and ArcelorMittal among other suppliers, and producing most cars for export.

Production mainly consists of passenger and light commercial vehicles (M1+N1), whose output fell -19% to 1.15m vehicles. Hyundai saw the biggest output drop of -23%, followed by Toyota, Peugeot, Citroen (TPCA) with -22% and Skoda with -17%.

Local automotive sales fell less steeply than exports, by -11% to 99,425 units. TPCA actually saw local sales rise 44% to 295 units.

Czech production of buses, meanwhile, fell -3% in 2020 to 5,070 units.

In 2019 Czech automotive output inched down -0.69% on-year to 1.434 million units, after an annual record figure in 2018.