UK vehicle manufacturing is currently steadily rising. Manufacturers have exited and no new ones have replaced them for some time now, yet a reasonable gain has taken place. Most vehicles are exported which keeps the plants viable. More local support would help but the will to do that simply isn't there.
Car: Q1-Q3 production for domestic consumption is 135,000 (+10%) and exports increased to 525,000 (+16%). The total figure was 660,000, an increase of 15%. Only 9.3% of UK passenger car sales were met by locally made vehicles, the lowest since 1946 when my records start. Presumably, the lowest since UK car manufacturing began.
As for the monthly average, that has increased from 63,800 to 73,300. I am curious as to where the increase is coming from but without a full breakdown by manufacturer, I can't be certain. It is probably spread across the various manufacturers.
What I do know is that until recently. Nissan's and Toyota combined were just short of half of the total. Nissan makes the Qashqai, Juke and Leaf. Toyota the Corolla hatch and wagon. Toyota needs another model to better utilise the factory.
Data source: SMMT.
Commercial Vehicle: Q1-Q3 production for the local market was 32,500 units (+3.4%), exports were 53,000 (+16.9%), and combined 85,500 (+11.4%). After hitting a low point in 2020, CV production lifted and I assume Ellesmere Port van production will give it some sort of boost.
The average numbers have improved slightly, from 8,500 to 9,500. CV production may be plateauing unless more investment in that area is forthcoming.
Combined: Production for the local market was +8.5% to 167,500 while production destined for export was +16.4% to 578,000. In total, 745,400 vehicles were made (+14.5%). The totals could and should be better but it is for now moving in the right direction. Mind you, most production around the world is.
As for average per month production, it has increased from 72,300 to 82,800 units. That is the best since 2019, when Honda and Vauxhall were still making cars here. Vauxhall (Stellantis) is switching over to vans but even when that transition is fully up to speed, the number of vehicles made by Vauxhall will be less than what they achieved with passenger cars.
