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Nissan shone in the UK car manufacturing charts last year – the best year for vehicle production since before the pandemic.
Figures released through the SMMT show that the country’s car manufacturers produced 905,117 cars and 120,357 advertising cars (CV).
The combined total of 1,025,474 represents a 17% increase in production through 2022 and is the first time it has exceeded one million since 2019, when 1,303,135 cars and 78,270 hp were made.
The SMMT said the easing of pandemic-related challenges that included microchip shortages and lockdowns as well as increasing electrified model production combined to drive annual output up.
UK production of battery electric cars, plug-in hybrids and hybrids rose to 346,451 units, up 48% from 234,089 a year earlier, to account for almost two-fifths (38. 3%) of total production and a record for an electrified model. outside.
Overall, UK car production grew by 16. 8% in 2023 (its rate of expansion since 2010, the SMMT said) with an overall retail price of all models manufactured amounting to more than £50 billion.
Strong December functionality for car production (up 20. 7% year-on-year from 51,168 to 61,768) helped close out a year, the industry framework added.
Nissan led the brands in 2023, with 324,893 Jukes, Leafs and Qashqais manufactured at its Sunderland plant, a whopping 36. 3% compared to the 238,329 made in 2022.
JLR came in second place with 238,422 cars produced at its Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull plants, representing a 17. 6% increase to 202,788 units in 2022.
Mini saw a 0.7% dip in production from 186,222 to 184,996 at its Oxford plant, but that was still enough to make it the third most productive manufacturer.
It was followed by Toyota with 122,193 vehicles – including Suzuki cars – manufactured at its Burnaston site. That was up by 15.7% from 105,590 in 2022.
Crewe-based Bentley, meanwhile, which last week reported an 11% drop in global sales in 2023, produced 2,780 fewer vehicles – a 17.8% decrease from 15,639 to 12,859.
Most of the cars that were made went overseas, with 713,870 exports as opposed to the 191,247 that remained at home.
Year-on-year, exports increased by 17. 6% to 606,838 sets, and by 13. 7% in production to 168,176 sets for the UK market.
The EU remains the world’s largest market, absorbing 60. 3% of exports, with shipments increasing by almost a quarter (23. 2%) to 430,411 units.
The United States was the second most important destination with an export percentage of 10. 3% (73,571 units), followed by China with 7. 2% (51,202 units), exports to those two countries actually decreased by 9. 1% and 2. 7% respectively.
Turkey, however, saw its exports grow by 223. 8% to 27,346 units, making it the UK’s fourth-largest global market, ahead of Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland.
SMMT Lead Executive Mike Hawes said: “Diminishing chain challenges, the arrival of new models and a huge investment of £23. 7 billion have put UK car production back on track in 2023.
“The industry will now focus on delivering on those commitments, transitioning the sector to electric and intensifying the supply chain.
“With a global festival fiercer than ever and amid emerging geopolitical tensions, government and industry will have to focus solely on competitiveness, with all the jobs and expansion that will bring.
“We’re in a much better position than we were a year ago, the demanding situations are unforgiving. “
Another promising year-on-year growth in production figures coupled with increased investment in the manufacturing sector presents a positive outlook for 2024.
Long-term investment will be key to ensuring the UK meets the demand for battery production to enable the advancement of electric vehicles, which will be to comply with the revised 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles.
As well as making an investment in the production sector, the government will want to increase investment in infrastructure to ensure the UK is in a position to switch to electric vehicles.
Right now, our research shows that 72% of dealers who don’t expect the ban to go into effect believe it because they feel there’s rarely enough time for infrastructure to cope with the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
Lisa Watson, Director of Sales, Close Brothers Motor Finance
The one millionth vehicle to roll off the UK production line in 2023 shows the UK car industry has resumed operations following Covid and other global disruptions, but is still far from pre-pandemic figures.
We now face an influx of Chinese car imports and new brands entering the UK market this year which may soften prices further, at the same time as consumers baulk from making the switch due to perceived charging, cost and battery anxieties.
The government must maintain its commitments to its automotive transformation fund, look to equalise VAT across domestic and public charging, investigate creative incentives for consumers to go electric, and speed up grid connections for the public charging network.
Ian Plummer, Director of Sales, Auto Trader
With one million appliances produced and production figures returning to pre-pandemic levels, 2023 marks a return to normalcy for the UK production industry.
The record production of electrified vehicles, combined with the billions of pounds of public and private investment announced last year, shows that the UK has the potential to be a world leader in batteries and electric vehicle technology, but this potential wishes to be well recognised and exploited. . in Westminster.
Private owners’ interest in EVs is still not where it deserves to be and it will be attractive to see if brands are willing to lose money on every single EV sold rather than face fines if they have failed to meet the ZEV target.
Whatever happens, customers for a filthy rich long-term for the UK car industry will be vastly improved by long-term government support, so brands will be listening conscientiously to the political commitments of the primary parties in the run-up to the general election. .
Mark Tisshaw, Editor-in-Chief, Autocar Business
John has been with Car Dealer since 2013 after spending 25 years at the newspaper as a journalist and then Deputy Deputy Editor/Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Regional and National Titles. John is an Assistant Editor of Car Dealer’s Editorial Department and social media manager.
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