UK car production hits the skids: Worst November since 1980

In the automotive world, November was a bit of a turkey for UK car production, with output dropping a jaw-dropping 30.1 per cent. That’s according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), and no, they’re not pulling a fast one. Just 64,216 cars rolled off production lines last month, down by a hefty 27,711 vehicles compared to November 2023. It’s the ninth month in a row that production has been stuck in reverse, with industry watchers citing a grab bag of woes.

The culprits? Strategic product decisions, wobbly global markets, and a touch of “calendarisation” (read: scheduling quirks) are all to blame. Plus, last November saw a surge in production as the industry bounced back from Covid-era supply chain chaos, making this year’s numbers look even grimmer.

Reports for previous months:

UK car production slumps by 20 per cent in September

UK new car production saw significant drop in August

Retooling for electric vehicle production hasn’t been a smooth ride either. Major manufacturers have hit the brakes, with production across the board marking its worst November since Margaret Thatcher was running the show. Output for domestic markets plummeted by a whopping 56.7 per cent, and export numbers weren’t much better, sliding 21.3 per cent.

Still, the export business is keeping UK factories humming – barely. Over 80 per cent of the cars built in November were shipped overseas, with more than half of those heading to the EU. It seems Europe has a soft spot for UK-made vehicles, but not enough to counterbalance the industry’s broader slowdown.

UK car manufacturing, November 2024

Photo by: SMMT

On the electrified front, 19,165 battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and hybrid cars were produced in November. That’s nearly a third of the total output, but before you pop the champagne, know this: it’s still down a sobering 45.5 per cent. From January to November, more than a quarter-million electrified vehicles were built in the UK, though that’s nearly 20 per cent fewer than the same period last year.

---

---

Year-to-date figures paint an even grimmer picture. Total car production has dropped 12.9 per cent, with just 734,562 units made. That’s not just fewer than last year; it’s almost half a million short of 2019’s pre-pandemic, pre-EV-transition glory days.

"These figures offer little Christmas cheer for the sector. While a decline was to be expected given the extensive changes underway at many plants, manufacturing is under pressure at home and abroad, with billions of pounds committed to new technologies, new models and new production tooling. Government can help by supporting consumers in the transition, fast tracking its Industrial Strategy for advanced manufacturing and, most urgently, reviewing the market regulation which is putting enormous strain on the sector," Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, commented.

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motor1.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The Motor1.com Team