UK new car registrations fell by 14.3 per cent to 243,479 units in March. Despite manufacturers reporting robust order books during the first quarter, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shares that ongoing supply chain shortages – especially of semiconductors – continued to squeeze supply during what is normally a busy ‘new plate’ month.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has appointed Richard Sadler the new managing director of SMMT Industry Forum. Sadler takes over from Mike Baunton, who returns to the role of chair of the SMMT Industry Forum Board after serving as interim managing director.
UK commercial vehicle production grew 92.2 per cent in the second month of 2022, with 8,278 vans, trucks, taxis, buses and coaches rolling out of British factories. However, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) notes that this result compares with the worst February on record last year, when supply chain shortages, new customs processes and prolonged lockdown measures posed significant challenges to production. Production in February 2022 was still 10.3 per cent lower than the 9,233 units built in pre-pandemic 2019.
UK car production fell 41.3 per cent in February, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reporting the manufacture of 61,657 units during the month, 43,351 fewer cars than were made than in February 2021. This reduced output was primarily due to the persistent global shortage of semiconductors causing some factories to pause production, as well as the loss of output following the closure of a major plant in Swindon last summer.
According to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), UK new car registrations rose by 15.0 per cent in February as 58,994 new cars joined Britain’s roads. This rise of 7,682 units was in comparison with the same month in 2021, when the pandemic shut car showrooms across the UK – registrations are down 25.9 per cent on pre-pandemic levels, as vehicle supply remains constrained by semiconductor shortages.
UK car production fell 20.1 per cent in January, to 68,790 units. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) says this is the weakest January total since 2009. Output was down 17,262 units against the same month last year, which itself was one of the worst Januarys on record when volumes were impacted by friction in the new post-Brexit trading arrangements, extended shutdowns and the pandemic.
New registrations of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) rose by 12.9 per cent year-on-year in 2021, reports the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Growth in key industry sectors such as construction saw demand outstrip supply, with truck registrations surging following a locked-down 2020 decline of 32.2 per cent.
The UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market fell by -26.9 per cent to 17,566 registrations in the first month of 2022 compared with a bumper January last year, according to the latest figures issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The UK automotive sector recorded a positive start to 2022 as 115,087 new cars were registered, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Registrations were up by more than a quarter (27.5 per cent) on January 2021, when lockdown restrictions kept car showrooms shut.
UK commercial vehicle (CV) production grew 11.3 per cent in 2021, following the worst year on record (dating back to 1933), with 73,600 of the latest vans, trucks, taxis, buses and coaches leaving factory lines, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
A total of 859,575 cars were produced in the UK last year, 6.7 per cent or 61,353 units fewer than a 2020 that itself was badly affected by lockdowns. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that 2021 production was 34.0 per cent below the pre-pandemic 2019 figure.
2021 UK car sales were stalled by Covid and its impact on the supply chain, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders explains. 1.65 million new cars were registered in an increase of just 1.0 per cent on pandemic-ravaged 2020, making it the second-worst year since 1992. Sales were -28.7 per cent below pre-Covid levels thanks to headwinds, which included the semiconductor shortage. However, figures did show that the transition to electric cars is proceeding quickly. More than one in six registrations were plug-in, while battery electric cars alone rose to one in nine. Overall, the SMMT notes that this means more BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) were registered than in 2016-2020 combined. The society added that the UK auto industry is calling for the government to extend incentives and mandate chargepoint targets. It argues that the UK needs to accelerate consumer uptake of EVs, maintaining the country’s attractiveness against competitor markets.
Last year, new car registrations grew by a marginal 1.0 per cent on a pandemic-ravaged 2020, as 1.65 million new cars entered the UK market. Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) underline the ongoing impact of Covid and the semiconductor shortage on the industry, with the market down 28.7 per cent on pre-pandemic 2019, representing the second worst year since 1992.
New car registrations grew 1.7 per cent year-on-year in November, bringing an end to four months of consecutive decline, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reporting 115,706 units registered. However, this must be viewed in the context of a weak 2020, when lockdowns impacted registrations, including November. Compared to the pre-pandemic average, the market remains down significantly, with 31.3 per cent fewer vehicles registered during the month.
