UK car production grew by over 11 per cent in the first half of 2023

Blimey, the UK car industry is on a bit of a roll at the moment. The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) confirm that UK car production has grown 11.7 per cent in the last six months – up consecutively for the last five. Wahey!

June was the strongest month, with an increase of 16.2 per cent. Some 450,168 units have been shifted. That, according to the industry body, is largely down to better management of the chip shortage. You might recall the shortage of semiconductors. Apparently it remains, but time is helping car makers to work around the supply chain issues.

With zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) accounting for 170,231 units (37.8 per cent) – an increase of over 70 per cent from January to June on last year’s figures – it seems more drivers are getting increasingly comfortable with the electric car proposition.

And that’s not just in the domestic market, either. According to the SMMT’s statistics, exports account for every eight-in-ten cars made, with the EU remaining the UK’s biggest market.

The disparity between today’s output is still shy of 2019’s output by over a not-insignificant 32 per cent.

However, this all comes on the back of last week’s positive news of a £4 billion investment from JLR-parent Tata for a battery gigafactory to be built in Somerset.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “UK car manufacturing is growing again, with production – especially of electrified models – increasing and major investment announcements making headlines.

“This is testament to the resilience of the sector and its undoubted strengths – a skilled and productive workforce, world-class R&D, and efficient, productive plants. But we must build on this momentum, sustain growth and attract further investments with a strategy that focuses on competitiveness and which strengthens the UK’s unique automotive offering.”