New data has revealed a 7.6 per cent fall in UK car production in the first half of the year.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which published the data, said the decline was “expected” as carmakers rebuild their lines to produce electric models. Factories produced 416,074 new cars between January and June, 34,094 fewer than the same period in 2023.
The fall in electric car production reflects the overall trend and stands at 7.6 per cent. 106,157 cars were produced for the UK market, up 17.7 per cent on last year, but for overseas buyers production fell 13.9 per cent to 309,917 units.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes commented:
“The UK auto industry is moving at pace to build the next generation of electric vehicles a transition that can be a growth engine for the entire British economy. The new Government’s commitments to gigafactories, a decarbonised energy supply and a faster planning system will help boost our competitiveness and sustain employment in a sector that delivers well-paid, skilled jobs nationwide.”
He also added:
“Amid fierce global competition, however, industry and Government must work quickly to deliver those commitments, creating an industrial strategy that enables the growth the economy craves.”
Mr. Hawes explained that the industry had started the year with “a degree of optimism” due to investments in manufacturing totalling £24million made last year.
He added that the transition from the production of petrol and diesel cars to electric models “has always been complex and volatile,” noting that the overall 7.6% decline was due to “significant model changes” by companies such as Mini, Nissan and Jaguar Land Rover.
The European Union remains the largest recipient of car exports, accounting for 55.4 per cent. The United States, China, Turkey and Australia made up the remaining top five export destinations, accounting for 29.4 per cent of all overseas orders.
Japan, Canada, South Korea, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland rounded out the top ten. According to the latest independent forecast, total production this year will be around 910,000 units, down 9.3 per cent from 2023.
