- Britain's car production fell by 7% year-on-year in April, falling for a second consecutive month, as manufacturers wound down existing models and more plants transitioned to electric vehicle production, industry data showed on Thursday.
A total of 61,820 cars rolled off production lines in April, compared with 66,527 units in the same period last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said. March production volumes were down by 27.1%."With a general election in a matter of weeks, the next government must ensure the conditions are right not just for the competitiveness of UK manufacturing, but for the investment required to transition the sector to a net zero future," SMMT CEO Mike Hawes said.
Electrified vehicles, whether fully electric models, plug-in hybrids or full hybrids, represented 40.5%, up from 37.7%, of all cars produced. Manufacturers produced a combined 25,031 units of EVs, a modest 0.1% rise on the previous year, the industry body said. Production of EVs has successively grown as giants like Nissan and Jaguar Land Rover-owner, Tata MotorsMeanwhile, UK car production is down 0.8% on 2023 volumes in the year to date, SMMT added.It has been our privilege to have the trust and support of our East Coast communities for the last 200 years. Our SaltWire team is always watching out for the place we call home.