Volkswagen Passat was the first model ever to be produced in Bratislava after Volkswagen started vehicle production in Slovakia in 1991. (source: Courtesy of Volkswagen Slovakia)
The portfolio of models that carmakers manufacture in Slovakia has been undergoing changes. The Bratislava-based Volkswagen Slovakia has commenced the mass production of the new Volkswagen Passat and Škoda Superb models, while the Trnava-based Stellantis said goodbye to the production of the popular model Peugeot Peugeot 208, to make space in its production halls for a new model.
Passat back after decades
Production of the Volkswagen Passat has returned to Bratislava after more than 30 years. It was the first model ever produced in Bratislava after Volkswagen started vehicle production in Slovakia in 1991. Volkswagen Slovakia has been cooperating with the Škoda brand since 2008. The Škoda Superb is the fourth Škoda model to be produced at the Bratislava plant.
Production of the Škoda Superb in Bratislava's Volkswagen plant. (source: Courtesy of Volkswagen Slovakia)
Volkswagen Slovakia has invested almost €500 million in the integration of new models into the production line and thanks to the new project, it has managed to secure usage of the plant’s capacity for years to come.
“The aim is to steer our production plants towards economic capacity utilisation and a forward-looking future for years to come,” said Christian Vollmer, member of the Volkswagen Board of Management for Production and Logistics as cited in the press release. “We are currently using the transition to electromobility to reduce complexity in production and to make our production plants even more efficient.”
The group is merging the production of car models based on the same architecture in its plants across brands. It is targeting higher effectiveness and synergies.
In the spring the Bratislava plant should launch production of the first fully electrical SUV Porsche Cayenne.
But that may not be all, because as the Hospodárske Noviny daily claims, the first model from the world’s largest SUV family, Audi’s upcoming Q9, may also extend the portfolio of models produced in Bratislava. The Q9 is set to compete with top models from other automakers, such as the Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7. Today, the Slovak arm of the German carmaker produces the Audi Q7 and Q8 models.
Changes in Trnava
The Trnava-based Stellantis car factory ceased production of the popular model of the Peugeot 208 as of October 1. The only model the plant continues to produce is the Citroën C3, the Hospodárske Noviny reported on Monday, December 11. The plant is currently preparing for a €180 million production transformation, to which the state will contribute €18 million. The Peugeot 208 should be replaced by new models, including the e-version Citroën C3, which has to fight for the customer even in competition with China with a base price of €20,000. The French media mention that the Trnava plant will also produce the SUV Opel Crossland next year.
Kia to produce e-cars, too
After the Bratislava-based Volkswagen, Trnava-based Stellantis and the yet to be built Volvo plant in Košice, the new production of electric cars is already also assured by Kia Slovakia near Žilina, in Teplička nad Váhom, the Denník N wrote in early December. This has been assumed for a long time, but only now is it fully confirmed by the latest investment project of the carmaker. It is also requesting investment incentives from the state.
According to the project, Kia Slovakia will start production of one new all-electric car in the lower middle class and one new all-electric model in the SUV class.
The production launch of the first two electric vehicles will cost a total of €108 million, with the investment to be made between 2024 and 2028. The Economy Ministry wants to allocate the plant a tax holiday of €30 million. The government has yet to greenlight the tax holiday, but this should only be a formality, the daily Denník N writes.
The new production of electric vehicles will not only diversify the production of the Kia plant, but also expand it. The current production of cars with both internal combustion and hybrid drive will continue. The plant will also continue to produce its current Ceed, XCeed, ProCeed, Ceed Sportswagon, as well as the Sportage and its electrified versions.
