In 2025, Czechia reported EUR 2.46 billion in imports of lithium-ion accumulators from China. Poland reported EUR 727 million and Slovakia EUR 432 million. The three markets have moved in different directions since 2023, making the regional picture more useful than a single headline about battery demand.
For a Chinese battery manufacturer considering Central Europe, one question comes before choosing a distributor or production site: where are Chinese-origin batteries already entering the market, and how has that flow changed?
Eurostat trade data offer one starting point. In 2025, Czechia’s reported imports of lithium-ion accumulators from China were close to their 2023 level. The values for Poland and Slovakia were less than half their respective 2023 levels.
| Reporting country | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change, 2023–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czechia | EUR 1.55bn | EUR 2.48bn | EUR 1.79bn | EUR 2.46bn | -0.8% |
| Poland | EUR 1.31bn | EUR 1.37bn | EUR 0.81bn | EUR 0.73bn | -46.8% |
| Slovakia | EUR 0.88bn | EUR 0.78bn | EUR 0.19bn | EUR 0.43bn | -44.3% |
Czechia’s 2025 value was 58% higher than in 2022 and only 1% below its 2023 level. This was a return after a marked fall in 2024, rather than an uninterrupted flat trend. Slovakia recorded a partial recovery from its 2024 low, while Poland’s reported value continued to fall. These are different trade patterns within a relatively small group of neighbouring markets.
What the figures can tell a supplier
The data suggest that Czechia deserves a closer look as a destination for Chinese-origin lithium-ion accumulators. For a supplier, the next step is to identify the local companies and applications behind that flow: automotive manufacturers and their suppliers, energy-storage integrators, distributors, or another segment.
That distinction matters. A battery designed for an electric vehicle has different qualification, integration and after-sales requirements from a stationary storage system or a consumer battery. Import statistics alone do not identify the buyer or the application. They can help prioritise market research, but they cannot replace it.
The comparison also shows why Central Europe should not be treated as one uniform market. The Czech, Polish and Slovak figures diverged over the period. A company planning regional sales may need to check local customer relationships and supply chains country by country rather than assuming the same route to market will work across all three.
What the figures do not show
This indicator measures the reported value of imports classified under HS 850760: lithium-ion accumulators, excluding spent accumulators. It does not isolate electric-vehicle batteries, storage systems, cells, or particular battery chemistries beyond the lithium-ion classification. It also does not show physical volume, transaction prices, end use, local production, resale within the EU, or the revenue available to a new supplier.
“Origin: China” refers to where the goods are classified as originating in trade statistics. It does not identify the nationality of the manufacturer or brand. Equally, a shipment recorded as entering Czechia may feed a factory, distributor or supply chain serving customers elsewhere in Europe. The figures should therefore not be read as Czech household or industrial consumption, or as sales by Chinese-owned companies.
A higher import value can reflect more units, higher prices, or a different product mix. The figures therefore should not be described as a direct measure of market demand. They identify a trade flow worth investigating.
A practical next step
A manufacturer can use this comparison to frame three checks before entering the region:
- identify which local customers and applications account for the relevant battery imports;
- compare import quantities as well as values to see whether the trend reflects volume or price and product mix; and
- confirm the applicable product, safety, transport, recycling and battery-regulation requirements for the specific product and route to market.
The main conclusion
Czechia reported a much larger Chinese-origin import value in this category than Poland or Slovakia in 2025, and its value was broadly back at the 2023 level. That makes Czechia a reasonable market to investigate first for some battery suppliers. It does not establish who bought the products, where they were ultimately used or whether a new entrant could win those accounts. The next decision should depend on the manufacturer's product segment and on direct checks with likely customers and local partners.
How Kodo can help
Kodo helps international battery and industrial technology companies prepare the commercial and operational side of entering Czechia. We support early market validation, partner mapping, local positioning, English and Czech communication, web content and coordination of the first implementation steps. For a battery supplier, that can mean identifying the right customer segments and testing a realistic Czech route to market before committing to a larger local operation.
For legal, tax, regulatory, certification and investment-incentive matters, companies should work with qualified specialists and the responsible authorities.
Related reading
- Hyundai Mobis plans to expand Czech battery production: what suppliers should watch
- Where Czechia Is Building Its Next Decade: Six Sectors with Strong Entry Conditions
- Entering the Czech Market: What International Businesses Should Prepare Before They Launch
Sources
Eurostat Comext, annual imports, product HS 850760, partner China, reporters Czechia (CZ), Poland (PL) and Slovakia (SK), 2022–2025. Values were retrieved on 28 September 2026 and are rounded to two decimal places in the table. Percentage changes are calculated from the unrounded 2023 and 2025 values. Eurostat identifies the country of origin as the partner country for extra-EU imports. The classification covers lithium-ion accumulators excluding spent accumulators.
- Czechia — Eurostat Comext data
- Poland — Eurostat Comext data
- Slovakia — Eurostat Comext data
- Eurostat methodology: international trade in goods
This article provides general market and supply-chain information, not legal, tax, regulatory or investment advice. Companies should verify requirements for their specific products, customers and operating model.
