Škoda Group Sets Deadline for New Name and Visual Identity

Škoda Group has announced a complete brand overhaul, introducing a new name and visual identity by June 2029 while assuring that automotive manufacturer Škoda Auto remains unaffected.

Rebranding Timeline and Design Partners

Škoda Group has initiated preparations for one of the most significant changes in its nearly 170-year history, involving a new trade name, logo, and visual identity. The project will be unveiled in autumn 2028, with the entire process concluding by June 2029 at the latest, though the change will not affect all company sectors.

Work on the new identity has entered the design phase, with the Czech group selecting Dynamo design to handle the brand concept and visual identity, alongside Name & Fame, which was tasked with preparing the new name.

Phased Transition and Official Unveiling

Existing markings will not disappear immediately from trains, trams, trolleys, production plants, or commercial materials, as Škoda Group will use its current brand for nearly three more years. The new name and identity are scheduled for official presentation in September 2028 at the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin.

The complete transition to the new brand is set to occur by the end of June 2029, requiring the replacement of markings across buildings, documents, websites, promotional materials, and vehicles. This three-year schedule allows the operation to proceed gradually without disrupting production and order fulfillment.

Preserving Industrial Tradition Without Automotive Confusion

Neither the target name nor the new logo design has been disclosed yet, though the emerging identity is expected to reference Czech industrial tradition while matching the group’s international scale. The enterprise aims to maintain brand continuity while distinguishing itself from the car manufacturer based in Mladá Boleslav.

CEO Petr Novotný emphasized that the renaming does not signal a departure from technical competencies, quality standards, or the existing operational profile. The completion date coincides with the 170th anniversary of the industrial plants in Plzeň, tracing the company’s origins back to 1859.

Separation from Škoda Auto

The rebranding does not apply to Škoda Auto, the passenger car manufacturer producing models such as the Fabia, Octavia, Superb, Kodiaq, and Elroq. Drivers do not need to expect changes to their car names, dealership markings, or symbols used on new models.

Škoda Group and Škoda Auto currently operate as separate entities with different owners and market segments, with the former focusing on public transport vehicles and the latter belonging to the Volkswagen Group. A 2022 agreement between PPF Group and Škoda Auto established that Škoda Group may use the name and winged arrow logo until 2029, after which rights will belong exclusively to Škoda Auto.

Core Operations and Polish Market Presence

The name change will not impact the company’s business scope or active contracts, with Škoda Group remaining a manufacturer of trams, trolleybuses, electric multiple units, metro trains, and control systems. The group employs approximately 10,000 workers and generated revenues of roughly 1.36 billion euros in 2024.

The company’s operations are also visible in Poland, highlighted by the delivery of Škoda Varsovia trains for the Warsaw Metro. Manufactured in Ostrava and Plzeň, these 119-meter-long metro compositions feature modern amenities, while Prague and other Polish cities also utilize Škoda trams and traction solutions.