UK Vehicle Production : 2024-25

Do you want the good news or the bad news? Well, there is only the latter here. UK vehicle production is nothing short of embarrassing. It's been building (or should I say sliding) for many years and little has been done to address the situation even as it reaches a disastrous level. Does anyone care?

The charts here show total production, monthly (Avg) and %. The percentage shows total reduction plus the percentage split between home and export. The only car manufacturers that publish figures are Nissan and Toyota. They are incorporated at the base of the third chart. They made up 48% of all production. 

Let's dissect it by diving deeper. Passenger car production was 717,400, down from 779,600 in 2024. That represents an 8.0% fall on an already poor 2024.  

You would have to go to the early 1950's to see lower figures. That was when a devastated post war Britain was trying to get back on its feet. 

161,000 sales in the UK were for locally produced cars. That represents 8.0% of the UK domestic market. In other words, 92.0% of the cars sold in the UK in 2025 were imports! Just as well no one cares.  

Can commercial vehicle sales salvage something from this disaster? Of course, I jest. It's even worse. Production reached 47,300 units, down 62%. No, that's not a typo. So tell us then, how bad is it? 

I have data going back to and including 1945. This is by far the worst over that time. I don't have detailed data for 2025 to explain why this is, all I can do is speculate and here I go. 

Stellantis is the main CV producer in the UK and they seem to be having problems either making or selling vans. They closed the Luton plant and consolidated it all into the Ellesmere Port facility. They also went to fully electric vans and this is probably the reason for the slump. Truck makers such as Leyland DAF and Dennis Trucks are still doing OK I would wager but they can't stem the drop by Stellantis. Exports are the hardest hit for CVs. 

Buses don't make up huge numbers but the government is subsidising the switch to electric buses. The UK's largest bus operator recently took the offer and bought buses made in China. Taxes spent on overseas manufactured buses. Just as well no one cares. 

By combining the above figures, the picture won't be any brighter. A solution could be an tax on imported vehicles, gradually increased each year and then manufacturers encouraged to start local UK production. 

The market is big enough to support that. Some of the revenue could be used to incentivise buying locally made.

Would this increase vehicle prices overall in the UK? Maybe slighty, but a small price to pay for an understanding and selfless populace. Would other nations understand the precarious situation or cry foul and threaten 'consequences'? 

Don't other nations impose import duties to 'protect' their markets? Some to help production get on a solid footing and others just to obstruct imports. Either way, surely they would be supportive of a move to revitalise a feeble UK industry. Again, another bit of humour. Double standards are the default setting of international dealings. 

So here I am, proposing a way forward to save a car industry on life support but realistically knowing nothing will change. It was a productive UK industry while it lasted, but it could end up being a few luxury brands only and maybe a few trucks. Just as well no one cares.