Skoda may exit China amid intense competition from local brands in the world’s biggest market.
“We will look together with our Chinese joint venture partner at how we want to continue there,” Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer told Automotive News Europe sister publication Automobilwoche.
Skoda’s withdrawal from China would allow parent Volkswagen Group to concentrate its efforts in the country on its main VW brand, which is struggling in the face of domestic competition.
Instead of completely pulling out of China, Skoda could also consider only selling imported cars. Skoda’s Chinese models are cuurently built in VW Group joint venture factories. “If we want to focus our efforts, it’s worth looking at the scenarios and then deciding,” Zellmer said.
Skoda had a 0.6 percent market share in China in 2021. The brand’s Chinese deliveries were down 31 percent to 36,300 vehicles in the first three quarters, according to its financial report. Its global deliveries fell 22 percent to 544,500 during the same period.
Leaving China would help the brand to focus more on India, for which it has responsibility within the VW Group.
Skoda also said in October that it plans to start selling and building cars in Vietnam, where it says there is “considerable growth potential.”
The brand sees an annual sales potential of up to 40,000 vehicles in Vietnam, including cars built from completely knocked down kits at a local factory due to open in 2024.
Skoda is also responsible for VW Group’s Russian business, which came to a standstill after Russia’s invastion of Ukraine.