UK car production hits LOWEST level since 1982 in September

UK car production in September was the lowest figure in almost 40 years, as the ongoing chip shortage hampered production.

We all thought, in the depths of the Covid pandemic last year, that low car production figures in the UK would bounce back in 2021 as Covid restrictions eased and buyers bought new cars to treat themselves after a depressing and difficult time.

Now, as you’d expect car production recovery to accelerate, the hangover from the Covid pandemic is proving a bit more painful than being in the midst of it, with a shortage of semiconductor chips for car makers stymying production.

That chip shortage – and other Covid-related supply chain issues, coupled with chunks of the workforce isolating at any time – has seen some woeful UK production figures in recent months, and September 2021’s figures are poor too.

Just 67,169 cars were built in the UK in September, a figure that’s the lowest since 1982 and a whopping 41.5 per cent down on September 2020, although the SMMT say the bright light is that almost a third of the cars produced in September were BEVs, PHEVs or Hybrids. But that could be down to car makers prioritising low emission builds, rather than a huge sea-change in buyer wants.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:

The substantial decline in UK car output in September continues the worrying trend we have seen over the past three months.

The industry is continuing to battle the effects of the pandemic with the shortage of semiconductors stalling production. Whilst there was welcome news in the Budget to support the transition to zero-emission vehicle production, battery manufacturing and supply chains, it missed the opportunity to offer meaningful short-term support given Covid-related supply constraints and rising energy bills.