Hyundai Motor Company announced on the 18th that the cumulative number of eco-friendly vehicles produced and sold at its Czech plant is expected to exceed 500,000 units by the end of this year. The eco-friendly vehicles include three types: hybrid, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and battery electric vehicles, which have steadily increased sales by flexibly responding to market conditions.
The plant began operations in 2008 in the northeastern Nosovice region of the Czech Republic with an annual production capacity of 300,000 units. As demand for eco-friendly vehicles increased in Europe, Hyundai started producing eco-friendly vehicles mainly focusing on compact and mid-size sport utility vehicles (SUVs) from 2020. The plant manufactures the Kona Electric, Tucson Hybrid, and Tucson PHEV.
Starting with 37,715 eco-friendly vehicles produced in the first year, the numbers steadily increased to 86,338 units the following year, 118,217 units in 2022, and 138,849 units last year. The average annual growth rate during this period was 54%, surpassing the overall plant growth rate of 11%.
Hyundai Motor Company's Czech Plant Kona Electric Vehicle Production Line [Photo by Hyundai Motor Group]
The plant first exceeded a 30% share of eco-friendly vehicle sales in 2021. It was the first among Hyundai’s eight global production bases, including domestic plants. The share rose to 41% last year. This year, from January to July, 76,980 units were sold, accounting for 38%. During the same period, the share of eco-friendly vehicle sales at domestic plants was around 30%.
The Tucson Hybrid played a key role. Production began in the second half of 2020, and nearly 220,000 units had been sold by July this year.
Hyundai’s Czech plant has played a significant role in increasing sales in Europe. With 4.58 million cumulative units shipped as of July this year, the 16th year of operation, the company expects to reach 5 million cumulative units as early as the end of next year.
When the Czech plant started operations in 2008, Hyundai’s sales volume in Europe was around 270,000 units, but it nearly doubled to 530,000 units last year. Market share increased from 1.9% to 4.1% during the same period.
Recently, when Central and Eastern Europe were affected by Storm Boris, the company donated 10 million Czech koruna (approximately 600 million KRW) to the local nonprofit organization People in Need to support the Moravian-Silesian region near the Czech plant. They also provided five vehicles, including Tucsons, for relief activities in the affected areas.
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