After a historic slump during the Covid-19 pandemic, compounded by global semiconductor shortages, UK car production fell last year to its lowest level in almost 70 years, according to figures published on Thursday, but the sector expects a rebound this year.
And “last year was the worst since 1956. That’s how dramatic the recession has been. We are 40%” below the 2019 production level, he said.
“This year we will have growth”
The number of cars produced fell 9.8 percent last year from 2021, falling to 775,014 units in 2022, SMMT said in a statement. The organization, which represents companies in the sector, had already announced in early January that sales of new vehicles across the English Channel had sunk last year to their lowest level in 30 years.
The sector hopes to finally be able to breathe next year, thanks to an easing of semiconductor shortages. “We enter 2023 with a little more optimism,” said Mike Hawes.
The sector is targeting a 15% increase in car and light truck production this year and expects to return to one million vehicles produced in a year by 2025.
The SMMT also welcomes the record number of electric and hybrid vehicles produced in British factories by 2022 – these accounted for almost a third of all production.
Source: BFM TV
