Skoda Auto To Debut In Vietnam With Help From Indian Arm

• Skoda is partnering with  Thanh Cong Motor for sales and local production in Vietnam. 

• Initially, it plans to introduce fully imported models in the southeast Asian country. 

• Later in 2024, Kushaq and Slavia assembly kits will be exported. 

• The Czech carmaker targets 30,000 sales per year initially. 

Skoda is set to enter the Vietnamese market in 2023, initially with fully imported European models. The carmaker has partnered with Thanh Cong Motor (TC Motor) to sell and eventually produce its cars in Vietnam. In 2024, the Kushaq (and later the Slavia) will be introduced in the southeast Asian country as locally assembled models. 

How will India help Skoda expand in Vietnam?

In 2024, The carmaker’s Indian arm will begin exporting cars built at the Chakan plant as knock-down kits to Vietnam. These CKDs will be assembled locally in the southeast country at a production line that’s currently under construction. 

Piyush Arora adds, “Now we are gearing up to introduce the Skoda Kushaq and Slavia in the Vietnamese market, which is an important milestone for the team in India. With its significant success in the local and overseas markets, our INDIA 2.0 project remains a key driver in the Group’s endeavour to ‘Engineer cars in India to be Driven by the World'.”

The carmaker is expanding its Chakan facility in Pune with a new 16,000-square-metre plant to expand the manufacturing of subassemblies for the Kushaq and Slavia. 

Cars to be fully imported initially 

Skoda plans to introduce the Karoq, Kodiaq, Superb and Octavia as completely built-up units starting in 2023. The carmaker plans to build cars in Vietnam in the Quang Ninh province and is also looking at sites such as the Viet Hung Industrial Park for its facilities. Later after 2025, it will bring the Enyaq iV electric SUV and its coupe version to the southeast Asian country. 

Also read: 

• Made-in-India Skoda Kushaq Gets Exported, First Batch Headed To Gulf Countries

• Skoda India Head Zac Hollis Steps Down, Petr Solc Becomes New Brand Director

• Kia EV6-rivalling Skoda Enyaq iV Spotted Testing In India For The First Time

The India 2.0 strategy is helping Skoda expand its operations in India and overseas. Vietnam plans aside, the Kushaq has already begun exporting to Gulf countries.