The Polish automotive industry – production and export
The year 2024 brought the Polish automotive industry a long-awaited rebound in production. Factories have increased their pace, plants have introduced new models, and foreign investors have again looked at Poland with interest. However, on the export side, there are symptoms of a change in the structure of demand, which may define the prospects for this sector in the coming years.
For decades the automotive industry has been the foundation of the Polish economy. It is responsible for over 8 percent of the country’s GDP and almost 13.5 per cent of goods exported. It is not only assembly plants, but also a powerful network of suppliers, R&D centres, production engineering and logistics. In 2023, the sector directly employed over 213,000 people, and if one includes cooperators, up to 400,000.
Poland has become one of the key links in the European value chain – mainly as a supplier of components and vehicles to Germany, the Czech Republic, France and the United Kingdom. It has long been treated as a low-cost base, but the transformation of the sector is now forcing a technological leap.
Production: back on the path of growth
In 2024, Polish factories produced a total of 332,043 vehicles, an increase of 7.6 percent year-on-year. The main production centres remain the Stellantis plant in Tychy (where the electric Jeep Avenger is built), Volkswagen in Poznań and Września (Caddy and Crafter models) and Toyota in Jelcz-Laskowice and Wałbrzych (production of hybrid drives).
This growth was supported by three key factors: the recovery of supply chains after the chip crisis, the transition to electrified models, and the growing demand for delivery vehicles.
In addition, Poland is becoming a leader in components for electromobility: LG Energy Solution produced batteries worth over EUR 5 billion in 2024.
Exports – a correction after records
In contrast to production, exports of vehicles and components in 2024 decreased – from €50.3 billion to €45.5 billion, a decrease of 9.5 percent. The reason was not a decrease in competitiveness, but a change in the structure of demand on the main consumer markets.
Exports to Germany, our main partner, increased by 13.1 percent, but decreased to other EU countries. The growing number of hybrid and electric vehicles requires a new type of components, and traditional lines of combustion parts are gradually being phased out.
The domestic market and technology exports are growing
In 2024, 280,000 vehicles with alternative drives were registered in Poland, which means an increase of 27 percent y/y.
Technology exports are developing dynamically – battery packs, inverters, electric motors and energy management systems are all being exported Poland. The Toyota and Stellantis plants have started exporting components not only to Western Europe, but also to Turkey, Egypt and Morocco.
Challenges on the horizon
The transformation forces not only technological investments, but also structural changes. Energy costs, a shortage of technical staff and regulations (such as Euro 7 or CBAM) increase the pressure on manufacturers. In 2025, automation and ESG compliance will need to be accelerated.
Exporters will have to rebuild their offer for new value chains: fewer exhaust systems, more power electronics. A solution may be partnership with IT companies and institutional support (e.g. clusters, grants for innovation, support from the Polish Investment and Trade Agency).
Sources:
- Polski Związek Przemysłu Motoryzacyjnego – Produkcja pojazdów samochodowych i silników do pojazdów mechanicznych w Polsce
- Samar – Motoryzacja w Polsce 2024: eksport hamuje, zatrudnienie spada
- KPMG – Branża motoryzacyjna. Podsumowanie danych za 2024
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