7:59 am, December 20, 2024
UK car production dropped by nearly a third last month, latest figures show.
Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows 64,216 cars rolled off factory lines, 27,711 fewer than in November last year.
It was the ninth consecutive month of decline.
Reasons for the reduction included weakness in global markets and the fact that production grew significantly in November last year, said the SMMT.
Car makers are also retooling factories to make electric vehicles.
More than 19,000 battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid electric cars were made in November representing almost a third of output.
In the year to date, total UK car output has fallen by just under 13% to 734,562 units – 108,787 fewer than the same period in 2023 and almost half a million short of 2019 volumes, said the SMMT.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘These figures offer little Christmas cheer for the sector.
‘While a decline was to be expected given the extensive changes under way at many plants, manufacturing is under pressure at home and abroad, with billions of pounds committed to new technologies, new models and new production tooling.
‘Government can help by supporting consumers in the transition, fast tracking its industrial strategy for advanced manufacturing and, most urgently, reviewing the market regulation which is putting enormous strain on the sector.’
