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UK car manufacturing output fell -15.3% to 77,484 units in October, the eighth consecutive month of decline.
The decline was caused by plants continuing their retooling to enable production of the next generation of zero emission vehicles.
A total of 24,719 battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid electric cars were made, representing almost a third (31.9%) of output, despite a volume decline of -32.6%.
Since January, UK car makers have now turned out a combined 239,773 electrified vehicles, with 71.8% of them exported to global markets.
Overall, volumes for both domestic and export markets declined in October, down -4.7% and -17.6% respectively.
Year to date, UK car production has now slipped -10.8% to 670,346 units, due primarily to falling exports.
While production for the UK is up 5.3% to 159,125 units, exports are down -14.8% to 511,221 units, equivalent to 89,095 fewer cars being shipped overseas in the first ten months.
Mike Hawes, SMMT CEO, said, “These are deeply concerning times for the automotive industry, with massive investments in plants and new zero emission products under intense pressure.
“Slowdowns in the global market – especially for EVs – are impacting production output, with the situation in the UK particularly acute given we have arguably the toughest targets and most accelerated timeline but without the consumer incentives necessary to drive demand.