Data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on September 26 shows that UK car production in August decreased by 8.4% year-on-year to 41,271 vehicles, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline.
Among these, the production of electric vehicles, including battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hybrids, also fell by 25.9% year-on-year, resulting in a drop in the share of electric vehicles in total car production from 37.5% in July to 29.6%.
The SMMT noted that part of the decline in UK car production in August was due to factories reducing output of major models and reconfiguring production lines to manufacture new (mainly electric) models. Additionally, the traditional summer shutdown in the UK affected production, making August typically a low-output month.
Cumulatively, UK car production has decreased by 8.5% year-on-year to 522,823 vehicles this year. However, the SMMT expects this downward trend to be reversed in the long term with the introduction of new models.
SMMT CEO Mike Hawes stated, "We remain optimistic about the recovery of UK car production, given the record levels of investment announced for the UK automotive industry last year."
Last year, the UK automotive sector received investment commitments of £24 billion. The SMMT mentioned that this has enabled the UK automotive industry to "get back in the game." Companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Motors, Nissan, and the BMW Group have all announced investment plans, with Nissan alone planning to invest £2 billion in its Sunderland plant to produce two electric vehicles.
Mike Hawes added that the UK's Autumn Budget on October 30 and the government's industrial strategy aimed at "boosting productivity through investment in industry and infrastructure" will be key to maintaining the competitiveness of the UK automotive sector.
