8:51 am, October 24, 2025
UK car production slumped by nearly 30% last month, as JLR carmaking ground to a halt as a result of the hack on the firm’s IT systems.
New figures from the SMMT show that 51,090 cars rolled off of British production lines in the ninth month of the year, representing a 27.1% decline on the same period in 2024.
The trade body said that the inactivity at JLR – Britain’s biggest automotive employer – was ‘largely responsible’ for the slide, with other major manufacturers reporting a boost in volumes.
According to the SMMT data, almost half (47.8%) of cars made mast month were either battery electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid, with volumes up 14.7% to 24,445 units.
Exports made up the majority (76%) of the cars built throughout September, with 38,821 units built for oversees markets.
The figure is 24.5% down on this time last year, with the EU, US, Turkey, Japan and South Korea the top five destinations.
Meanwhile, production for the UK market also fell by 34.1% to 12,269 units.
Elsewhere, commercial vehicles declined for the sixth month in a row, with the sector reporting a 77.9% slump to 3,229 units.
Combined car and van production was down by 35.9% in September to 54,319 units.
Experts at the SMMT say that the performance comes as ‘no surprise’ given that not a single JLR car left any UK factory all month.
However, they have hit out at government plans to end ‘critical’ Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS).
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, ‘September’s performance comes as no surprise given the total loss of production at Britain’s biggest automotive employer following a cyber incident.
‘While the situation has improved, the sector remains under immense pressure.
‘The Industrial Strategy, launched by the Prime Minister, Business Secretary and Chancellor only in June, sought to align government policies towards growth and restore UK vehicle output to 1.3 million units per annum.
‘The move to scrap ECOS immediately puts that ambition in doubt and must be reversed given the damage it will inflict on the sector and exchequer revenues.’
Senior figures from across the automotive industry have today been responding to the figures, with bosses at Carwow describing the latest findings as ‘concerning’.
Philipp Sayler von Amende, chief commercial officer at the online marketplace, said: ‘Ups and downs in manufacturing are nothing new for the car industry, but news that the UK’s car production dropped by 27.1% in September is nonetheless concerning, especially in what is typically a peak month of the year for domestic demand.
‘While the Government’s Electric Car Grant has encouraged more drivers to consider electric vehicles, the UK car industry is already battling multiple headwinds: from cyber-attack-related factory closures to the prospect of new micro-chip supply chain constraints from China.
‘One thing we learned during the last supply chain crisis in 2022 is that manufacturers tend to prioritise the production of electric vehicles to help meet tough emissions targets.
‘As a result, we may see supply of petrol and diesel models impacted more severely, or earlier, than EVs in the near term.’
