UK car production UP by 14.8% in November

UK car production rose by 14.8 per cent in November 2023 – the best November performance since 2020 – according to the SMMT.

With supply chain shortages easing in 2023, we’ve seen increases in car production for most of the year (although not all) and November’s production figures are no different.

Car production in November rose by 14.8 per cent – the best November numbers since 2020 – with 91,923 cars leaving the UK’s car plants, up by 11,832.

Production for both UK markets and overseas markets rose – by 13.4 per cent and 15.2 per cent respectively – with the majority of exports heading for the EU (60.8 per cent) and growth also in exports to China and Turkey, all offsetting a drop of 21.6 per cent in exports to the US.

As we have been accustomed to, the rise of production of BEVs, PHEVs and HEVs continues, accounting for 35,169 of the total (a rise of 20 per cent) and representing 38.3 per cent of all production, which means that in the first 11 months of 2023 UK plants have built 322,577 vehicles, up by more than half on 2022.

Mike Hawes, SMMT CEO, said:

UK car production is firmly back on track following the tough Covid years and resulting supply chain challenges. With significant investment committed to UK automotive manufacturing, production volumes increasing and the imminent threat of tariffs on EVs traded with the EU now removed by the extension of current rules of origin until 2027, there is renewed confidence in the sector. We now need to see the Anglo-European battery industry build capacity at pace to meet forecast demand.