Škoda Auto celebrates market launch with celebratory event, plans to expand dealer network
The Czech car manufacturer presented the Kvasiny-produced SUV model series Karoq and Kodiaq, which will be the first models available on the local market. Customers can purchase these at the first Škoda showroom in Hanoi from 25 September onwards. Additional showrooms in central and south Vietnam are in the pipeline. The goal is to expand the dealer network to 20 Škoda dealerships by 2025 and 30 by 2028.
First models imported from Europe in 2023, start of local CKD production in 2024
Škoda has a well-defined roadmap for the Vietnamese market, with plans to expand its model portfolio in response to customer preferences. The Octavia and Superb models are slated for importation to Vietnam in the medium term. Additionally, the all-electric Enyaq family is being introduced to cater to the growing demand for electric vehicles among Vietnamese consumers.
Starting in the second half of 2024, Škoda will be tapping into significant regional synergies. By then, the first Kushaq vehicles will have been exported from the Pune facility in India to Vietnam for assembly from CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits, with the Slavia set to follow in 2025. Construction of a production line at the Viet Hung Industrial Park in Quang Ninh province by Škoda’s local partner TC Group is already underway. Based on market trends, there are ambitions to ramp up production, potentially assembling as many as 27,000 vehicles annually after 2027.
High growth potential and projected annual deliveries of over 40,000 units beyond 2030
The automotive market in Vietnam is exceptionally dynamic. At present, Vietnam is the fourth strongest automotive market in Southeast Asia. Moreover, with only 38 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in a population of roughly 100 million people and given the anticipated national economic growth, Vietnam is emerging as the country with the highest growth potential in the region. The brand foresees annual sales of 30,000 units in the medium term, with that figure rising to more than 40,000 units after 2030. The capacity at the Viet Hung Industrial Park, where the TC Group-owned plant is located, could be used in the future to expand production with a view to potentially exporting Škoda models across the entire ASEAN region.