UK car production up in May

1 hour ago 2

GlobalData

Thu, June 25, 2026 astatine 7:23 AM CDT 2 min read

UK conveyance accumulation roseate 2.7% successful May to 51,178 units, according to the latest figures published contiguous by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Car output grew 3.2% to 49,249 units, reversing 4 months of decline, portion commercialized conveyance (CV) volumes fell 7.6% to 1,929 units.

The stronger wide show was driven by overseas orders, which recovered pursuing a 30.3% diminution successful May past twelvemonth erstwhile US tariff uncertainty pushed volumes to the lowest level since Covid-hit 2020. Car exports roseate 3.9% to 38,897 units, portion CV shipments accrued 61.0% to 1,391 units, delivering an wide 5.2% outbound commercialized boost. Car accumulation for the UK marketplace was broadly stable, up 0.7% to 10,352 units, portion CV output for UK buyers fell 56.0% to 538 units.

Among the apical car export markets, the US was the strongest performer, with shipments up 83.1% to 7,733 units, reflecting the US-UK commercialized woody that came into unit successful June 2025. Exports to the EU fell 5.2% to 20,057 units, portion those to China were down 14.3% to 2,794 units.

In the archetypal 5 months of the year, UK car output is 4.1% down connected past year, astatine 319,000 units. According to GlobalData analysis, the UK car manufacture is struggling to retrieve to pre-pandemic enactment levels and is forecast astatine nether 800,000 units of output for the full of this year.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: "May's maturation is welcome, and the precedence indispensable beryllium to crook this into a sustained betterment by making the UK much competitory arsenic a spot to marque and merchantability vehicles. That means reducing concern costs, maintaining escaped and unfastened commercialized with the EU, and ensuring the ZEV mandate reflects marketplace reality. Manufacturers are investing billions successful zero emanation technology, but anemic underlying request and the increasing outgo of compliance are putting competitiveness, jobs and aboriginal concern astatine risk. A mandate aligned with real-word conditions would enactment decarbonisation, fortify the market, and assistance unlock the concern needed for semipermanent economical growth."