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Tag: skoda

  • Skoda sales down by more than 12% in 2021, at 878.200 units sold

    Skoda sales down by more than 12% in 2021, at 878.200 units sold

    Skoda announced on Tuesday that global sales fell 12.6% in 2021 to 878,200 cars delivered last year.

    According to Reuters, the decline is due to a shortage of semiconductors and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The largest decrease was recorded in the Chinese market, where sales decreased by 58.8% compared to 2020.

    Most cars were sold in Western Europe, about 409,000 units. It is followed by Central Europe where 164,100 units were sold.

    Eastern Europe remains a weak market for Skoda, after the car maker sold only 35,800 cars in this region in 2021.

    Locally, the Czechs delivered 79,900 units, a decrease of 4%. In December alone, 7,100 Skoda cars were sold in the Czech Republic.

    Which were the best selling models

    The Octavia remains Skoda’s best-selling model, with 200,800 units delivered last year. Next is Kamiq, a model sold in 120,700 units.

    Another SUV, the Karoq, finished in the top 3 of the best-selling Skoda models, with 119,200 units sold last year.

    The lowest-selling model is the Citigo (4,400 units), noting that it is only available for purchase in Europe.

  • Skoda wants to cut 2% of administrative jobs in Czechia this year

    Skoda wants to cut 2% of administrative jobs in Czechia this year

    Skoda wants to cut 2% of administrative jobs in Czechia this year, not through redundancies, but by not replacing retiring employees, Reuters reports.

    Skoda has 42,000 employees worldwide. Although most of them work in the Czech Republic, the company has not released details on the exact number of local employees and how many positions are administrative.

    Czech news agency CTK estimates Skoda’s number of Czech employees at 34,000.

    Employees unions announced on Thursday that the company wants to reduce ”indirect staff”, those who are not involved in production, by 5% by 2023.

  • Skoda to recall more than 14,000 of its Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs for service

    Skoda to recall more than 14,000 of its Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs for service

    Skoda will recall some of its Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs for service due to a possible brake pedal failure. All cars are manufactured in 2020 and have automatic transmission.

    The recall targets more than 14,000 models in several countries, including 1,700 in the Czech Republic.

    Skoda warns that a similar problem could be registered with the Audi, Seat and Volkswagen brands, and more than 60,000 vehicles will be checked globally.

    Skoda delivered just over one million vehicles last year, up from 1.24 million units in 2019.

  • More than 750,000 Skoda vehicles rolled off the production lines in Czechia last year

    More than 750,000 Skoda vehicles rolled off the production lines in Czechia last year

    Despite a 39-day production shutdown, 753,013 vehicles rolled off the production lines at the Mladá Boleslav and Kvasiny sites in The Czech Republic.

    The Skoda Octavia was the front-runner with 187,000 units produced.

    Skoda produced a total of around 480,000 vehicles from the Fabia, Scala, Octavia, Octavia iV, Kamiq, Karoq and Enyaq iV series at the Mlada Boleslav plant.

    In addition, the car manufacturer produced 411,000 engines, 383,000 manual transmissions of the types MQ 200 and MQ 100, 76,000 high-voltage traction batteries and 1,511,000 axles at this site last year.

    The company invested 32 million euros in the production of the new ENYAQ iV, which began at the end of November.

    Each day, the assembly line will produce between 250 and 350 units of the all-electric SUV.

    The Kvasiny plant produced around 270.000 units. Apart from the Skoda Superb and the Superb iV with plug-in hybrid drive, the Kodiaq and Karoq SUV models as well as the Seat Ateca were also built here. 

  • Manufacture of Czech automobile Skoda Superb will move to Slovakia

    Manufacture of Czech automobile Skoda Superb will move to Slovakia

    By relocating the manufacture of the next-generation Superb from the Czech plant in Kvasiny to Bratislava in Slovakia, Skoda wants to free up the capacity in Czechia.

    After the move, scheduled for 2023, the development of the next-generation Superb will remain in Czechia.

    The extra capacity will be used to build additional cars like Skoda Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs and for another Skoda model.

    Skoda currently produces the Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs as well as the Superb and the Superb iV plug-in hybrid at its Kvasiny plant.

    This move is part of Volkswagen plan to abandon investment in Turkey and to expand production in Slovakia.

  • Parkopedia info about parking spaces, available on Skoda’s Connect App

    Parkopedia info about parking spaces, available on Skoda’s Connect App

    Skoda drivers now receive enhanced support in their search for vacant parking spaces, after the Czech car manufacturer has concluded a cooperation agreement with Parkopedia.

    As a result, Skoda drivers have access to real-time information on millions of parking spaces throughout Europe, which is displayed via the vehicle’s navigation system or the Skoda Connect App.

    Hans Puvogel, COO of Parkopedia says: ”We are delighted to offer ŠKODA our premium parking services in Europe across multiple platforms. This agreement is one more example of how Parkopedia delivers seamlessly integrated parking experiences.”

    Founded in 2007, Parkopedia provides detailed information on more than 70 million parking spaces in 15.000 cities and 89 countries worldwide.

    These include multi-storey car parks, public and private parking facilities.

  • In Czechia you can travel from door to door without needing to own a car

    In Czechia you can travel from door to door without needing to own a car

    Customers of Skoda DigiLab and rail and coach operator RegioJet in the Czech Republic can travel from door to door with ease without needing to own a car.

    For journeys from their homes to a coach or train station, or from there on to their destination, RegioJet customers can now hire a BeRider eScooter and/or a vehicle from the HoppyGo peer-to-peer car-sharing service.

    How it works

    When purchasing a RegioJet coach or train ticket, customers can register for Skoda DigiLab’s eScooter-sharing service, BeRider.

    Following confirmation, they will be emailed a code which entitles them to use the city scooters free of charge for 60 minutes.

    BeRider has just started its second season in Prague and the number of users is growing: the eScooters have already covered a total of over 500.000 km and, to date, 80.000 people have downloaded the app.

    RegioJet and Skoda DigiLab have then incorporated the HoppyGo private peer-to-peer car-sharing service in a similar way.

    Newly registered HoppyGo users receive a 500-koruna credit for travelling with RegioJet that they can use to rent a car.

    Customers can, for example, make their way to the station using a shared car, park it there in a planned allocated space and continue their journey by coach or train.

  • Skoda launched ENYAQ iV, its first full electric SUV

    Skoda launched ENYAQ iV, its first full electric SUV

    Measuring 4,649 x 1,879 x 1,616 mm, the ENYAQ iV is similar in size to the traditional KODIAQ SUV and has 2,765 mm wheelbase.

    The new electric car will be available in five power outputs, three battery sizes and two drivetrains.

    The basic model is the ENYAQ iV 50 with a 109 kW electric motor and rear-wheel drive. This version’s battery has a capacity of 55 kWh (52 kWh net) and a range of 340 kilometres in the WLTP cycle.

    The ENYAQ iV 60 has a 62 kW battery (58 kW net). Combined with a 132 kW electric motor, it delivers a range of up to 390 kilometres.

    The ENYAQ iV 80 is the third version with rear-wheel drive. It has a 150 kW electric motor and torque of up to 310 Nm. The battery capacity is 82 kW (77 kW net), and it is this version that offers the longest maximum range of 510 kilometres (in the WLTP cycle) on a single charge.

    The two all-wheel drive versions also feature the biggest battery

    The ENYAQ iV 80X, with a second electric motor on the front axle, delivers a total output of 195 kW, while the sporty ENYAQ iV RS boasts an output of 225 kW.

    Both these versions have a range of up to 460 kilometres in the WLTP cycle.

    One brand new design element on the electric SUV is the optional Crystal Face radiator grille. The traditional Skoda grille is enhanced with a crystalline effect and is backlit with a total of 130 LEDs that give the car a unique “light signature”.

    Special ENYAQ iV to celebrate 125 years of Skoda

    One special version of the ENYAQ iV that will be available in a limited series is the Founders Edition, which is already available for pre-order.

    With this version, which customers will receive in the first quarter of 2021, Skoda is celebrating 125 years of history. The total production will be just 1,895 units.

    ”The first electric SUV from Skoda is made in Mladá Boleslav and it represents the next level of transformation with the focus on advancing electrification and digitalisation,” said Thomas Schäfer, Skoda chairman of the board, at the electric SUV’s premiere.

  • Skoda achieves operating profit of 228 million euros in H1 2020

    Skoda achieves operating profit of 228 million euros in H1 2020

    The Skoda Auto Group’s sales revenue was €7.55 billion in the first six months, but the operating profit still amounted to €228 million – despite the 39-day shutdown of the Czech plants and the disruption to the sales channels, particularly in April.

    Against this background, the return on sales stood at 3.0%. Skoda Auto delivered a total of 426.700 vehicles to customers from January to June.

    Provided the COVID-19 situation does not deteriorate significantly again, Skoda Auto expects the conditions on the world markets to stabilise gradually over the coming weeks and months.

    Investments in tangible assets remained at a high level of 261 million euros over the past six months.

    The manufacturer plans to launch 30 new models, derivatives, product upgrades or variants between 2019 and the end of 2022. 

  • Skoda Parts Centre Mladá Boleslav at its 20th anniversary

    Skoda Parts Centre Mladá Boleslav at its 20th anniversary

    Skoda Parts Centre storage area covers 105.000 square metres – roughly the size of 13 football pitches, making it the largest warehouse for genuine parts in the Czech Republic.

    Around 550 employees work in three shifts every day at the Skoda Parts Centre, processing more than 28.000 order items.

    Service businesses in the Czech Republic are supplied with genuine parts overnight, and Skoda partners throughout Europe usually receive their deliveries within 24 hours of ordering.

    In addition to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, it now also serves the Baltic markets, Poland, Russia, Sweden and Norway.

    From September 2020, the Skoda Parts Centre Mladá Boleslav will also supply Volkswagen, Audi and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles genuine parts to Belarus.

    Every day, around 200 lorries deliver components from 2.000 suppliers from 45 countries to the centre. The parts are shipped by land, water or air freight – 140 HGVs transport the parts daily, and around 50 containers are sent overseas each month.

    Parts from Mladá Boleslav destined for service centres in New Zealand currently travel the longest distance – 18,135 kilometres.

    How Skoda Parts Centre was built

    During the socialist era and the first few years after the revolution, the state enterprise Mototechna was responsible for supplying Skoda vehicles with genuine parts.

    In 1992 the Skoda Auto parent plant in Mladá Boleslav took over the responsibility for distributing genuine parts. At that time, parts orders were processed in different halls, and goods intended for export had to be transported over half a kilometre.

    In 1998, the foundation stone for a new parts warehouse was laid at Řepov near Mladá Boleslav, and two years later the Skoda Parts Centre was officially opened.

    Initially, the floor space covered 36.000 square metres before being expanded to 74.000 square metres in 2013. In 2018 the facility reached its current size of 105.000 square metres of storage space.

    The eleven aisles of the 42-metre tall building hold 40.000 pallets, and storing and retrieving genuine parts and accessories is fully automated.

    In addition to the high-bay warehouse, Skoda Auto also operates a block warehouse with 8.000 pallet slots at Řepov.

    The oldest genuine part currently in stock since 1976

    The oldest genuine part currently in stock is part number 6U0905851B – an ignition switch, which first appeared on 1 August 1976 for Skoda models 105/120/130/135/136, the coupé GARDE and later the FAVORIT/FORMAN and FELICIA series.

    Every year the Skoda Parts Centre ships up to 3,000 of these ignition switches to help keep older ŠKODA models on the road.

  • Skoda Vrchlabí plant launches automated ordering and supply of parts

    Skoda Vrchlabí plant launches automated ordering and supply of parts

    Skoda made another step forward in implementing Industry 4.0 principles into manufacturing at its Vrchlabí component plant: new parts for the CNC processing lines are now ordered automatically.

    They are then transported to the CNC machines by robots guided by Internet of Things (IoT) sensor technology. B

    Parts are now automatically supplied to the CNC processing lines in production. In the warehouse, logistics employees place the required components on a load carrier. Guided by IoT sensor technology, an automatic transport robot then picks up the carrier and takes it to one of the CNC lines.

    On its return journey, the robot takes an empty load carrier with it and automatically reports back to the parts warehouse.

    Due to the use of IoT technologies, the process allows for an automated, continuous supply of parts to where they are needed – further increasing manufacturing productivity.

    Thanks to this system, the CNC machines are able to be supplied with more than 50.000 parts per day. And the costs of this automated process are expected to be covered in less than three years.

    Vrchlabí site modernisation process started in 2012

    In 2012, Skoda comprehensively modernised its Vrchlabí site and converted it into an advanced component plant within just 18 months. In 2015, Vrchlabí was named ‘Factory of the Year’ for its rapid transformation and dynamic development.

    In recent years, Skoda has introduced numerous Industry 4.0 technologies and systematically developed Vrchlabí into a high-tech location. In 2018, for example, the manufacturer started to transport parts between its metrology centre and CNC processing machines using an automatic robot for the first time.

    The component plant in Vrchlabí is set to be the manufacturer’s entirely CO2-neutral production site before the end of this year still. By far the greatest carbon dioxide savings were achieved by switching to using renewable energies. This reduced CO2 emissions from an initial 45,000 tonnes per year to currently only 3,000 tonnes.

  • Bernhard Maier to step down as Skoda Auto CEO on 31 July 2020

    Bernhard Maier to step down as Skoda Auto CEO on 31 July 2020

    Bernhard Maier is stepping down as Chairman of the Board of Directors on 31 July 2020 after almost five years of leading Skoda Auto.

    Bernhard Maier began his professional career in 1984 at Nixdorf Computer AG. From 1988 to 2001, Maier held various management positions at BMW AG in Germany and abroad. Among other things, he was project manager for international brand strategy.

    In 2001, Maier took over as Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche Deutschland GmbH, and in 2010 was appointed Board Member for Sales and Marketing at Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche AG. In this role, Maier radically modernised the trade and sales organisation.

    Under his leadership, the international trade organisation expanded significantly, and worldwide customer deliveries tripled.

    In November 2015, Bernhard Maier was appointed Chairman of the Board of Skoda Auto. Key aspects of the company’s reorientation within the framework of Strategy 2025+ were the areas of electromobility, digitalisation and connectivity, new mobility services and the implementation of a broad-based product campaign for the brand.

    Under Maier’s leadership, Skoda introduced new models such as KODIAQ, KAROQ, KAMIQ and SCALA, developed the ENYAQ iV, the first model designed purely as an electric vehicle, increased sales to approx. 1.3 million vehicles per year and achieved record figures for sales and operating profit.