10:08 am, October 29, 2026
UK car production surged by almost 39% in September as the industry bounced back from last year’s JLR cyberattack – but manufacturers have warned that government electric vehicle targets are putting British factories and jobs at risk.
New figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) released today (Oct 29) show that 70,831 cars rolled off UK production lines during the month, an increase of 38.6% compared with September 2025.
It was the strongest September for British car manufacturing since 2023, although the improvement was heavily influenced by the disruption suffered by JLR last year.
The cyberattack forced Britain’s biggest automotive employer to halt production, leaving a particularly weak comparison for this year’s figures.
Including commercial vehicles, total UK vehicle production rose by 36.3% to 74,031 units – the strongest annual growth recorded since August 2022.
Electrified vehicles were a major contributor to the increase, with production of battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid models rising by 22.5%.
They accounted for 42.3% of all cars built during September and 70.1% of car exports.
Overseas demand also helped boost output, with 76.7% of UK-built cars destined for international markets.
The EU remained Britain’s largest export destination, accounting for 57.5% of shipments, with volumes rising 12.7% year on year.
Exports to the US jumped 234.8%, giving the country a 16.8% share, while shipments to China increased by 357.7%, albeit from a low base, to account for 4.4%.
However, the wider picture for UK vehicle manufacturing remains challenging.
Across the first nine months of 2026, UK factories produced 564,537 cars and commercial vehicles, down 3% on the same period last year.
Commercial vehicle production remains particularly weak, with output down 46.7% year to date following structural changes in the sector.
The latest industry forecast now expects UK light vehicle production to reach 731,000 units this year, a decline of 2.3% compared with 2025 and below previous expectations.
Output is forecast to recover to 752,000 units in 2027 as new models, predominantly electric vehicles, enter production.
But the SMMT has warned that the recovery could be undermined by government policy and growing trade tensions with Europe.
The trade body is calling for substantial changes to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, arguing that manufacturers are being forced to spend billions on incentives to meet electric car sales targets that are running ahead of consumer demand.
It says the pressure is damaging profitability and diverting investment away from new models, manufacturing improvements and cybersecurity.
The industry has already committed at least £14.3bn to new electric vehicle factories and models in the UK since 2020.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the government needed to act quickly.
‘September’s rebound is welcome, but comparison with last year’s disruption masks the pressures on UK manufacturing,’ he said.
‘Protectionism is becoming a feature of global trade, and that threatens not just UK automotive as an export-led sector, but the health of industries overseas as well.
‘Pragmatic discussions with trade partners are required but Government can immediately help the industry with an urgent conclusion to the ZEV Mandate review.
‘Mandate targets are running ahead of demand and draining resources required for British factories and jobs.
‘Substantive changes – not marginal adjustments – are needed to ensure decarbonisation does not come at the cost of reindustrialisation.’
The SMMT is also concerned about two potential threats arising from Britain’s trading relationship with the EU.
It says the European Commission’s proposed ‘Made in EU’ rules could disadvantage UK-built vehicles in their biggest export market.
Meanwhile, tougher rules of origin under the post-Brexit trade agreement are due to take effect in 2027, potentially leaving electric vehicle trade between Britain and the EU facing a combined annual tariff bill of £1.4bn.
The trade body is urging both sides to reach an agreement at the forthcoming UK-EU summit to protect an automotive trading relationship worth €80bn.
With 188,000 jobs directly dependent on Britain’s automotive sector and an estimated £18bn annual contribution to the economy, the SMMT says the government must ensure its electric vehicle policies support domestic manufacturing rather than undermine it.