9:13 am, March 27, 2026
UK vehicle production endured another tricky month in February, as the number of units leaving factories dipped significantly once again.
New data from the SMMT shows that 68,061 vehicles rolled off of UK production lines last month – a year-on-year decline of 17.2%.
The figures show that car production dipped 10.7% to 65,885 while the number of commercial vehicles being built plummeted 74% to just 2,176.
Experts say the numbers were impacted by model changeovers and a ‘major plant restructuring’, while weak export demand in markets outside Europe also did not help.
The data shows that exports of cars and commercial vehicles dropped 11.5% and 65.1% respectively, to 53,140 and 1,306 units.
Despite this, overseas markets did still account for 80% the UK’s of total vehicle output, with the EU taking 63.6% of car exports and 88.9% of CV shipments.
While car exports to the EU rose by 5.3% compared to the same point last year, demand in the US, China and Japan fell, by 34.3%, 66.4% and 6.8% respectively.
Closer to home, car output for British buyers fell by 7.5% to 12,745 units while commercial vehicles production plummeted 81.2%, to just 870 units.
Looking at the results by powertrain, battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid cars made up 26,629 units – equivilliant to 40.4% of car output.
Reacting to the data, Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, ‘Another decline for UK vehicle production and exports is extremely worrying, given these figures pre-date the crisis in the Middle East.
‘While the sector has made efforts to build resilience into its logistics and supply chains post Covid, the conflict adds further strain.
‘Now more than ever we must focus on our industrial competitiveness by driving down energy costs, backing our suppliers, supporting our domestic market and securing free and fair trade with Europe.’
