UK car production falls in November as commercial-vehicle output plunges amid EU policy shift
SMMT data show 14.3% month-over-month drop; cars down 1.7% year over year while vans and trucks slump 78%; EU policy change adds uncertainty for UK manufacturers
Britain’s vehicle production fell in November, with a dramatic slump in commercial-vehicle output that underscored ongoing volatility in the sector. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said total production of cars and commercial vehicles declined 14.3% in November from October, reflecting a month of softer factory activity as plants navigate post-incident normalization and a shift toward new technology.
In November, manufacturers built 63,126 passenger cars and 2,806 commercial vehicles, according to the SMMT. Car output was down 1.7% compared with November of the previous year, while the number of vans, trucks, and other commercial vehicles fell by 78% year over year. The combined figures marked the fourth consecutive monthly decline in car production and the eighth straight month of decline for van output. For context, 1,090 fewer cars were made than in the same month last year, a sign that the year-over-year comparison remains uneasy but not uniformly negative across all segments.
The SMMT noted that output is gradually normalizing after the cyber incident that disrupted Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) operations in August and led to production pauses during September and October. The association also highlighted a near-term positive development: a new generation of electric vehicles reaching production, with a Sunderland plant launching a fresh model as part of a wider £450 million investment by Nissan across its operations and supply chain. Nissan’s investment is aimed at securing the Sunderland site and about 6,000 associated jobs.
JLR, Britain’s largest automotive employer, faced a cyberattack in August that temporarily knocked tools offline and prompted a pause in production across fall. The company has since resumed output, a step the SMMT framed as a sign the sector is on the path to steadier footing even as other pressures persist. In November, production for the domestic market rose sharply while shipments abroad lagged, underscoring a mixed mix of demand and external demand dynamics as the industry realigns with both domestic needs and global markets.
On the export side, cars built for the UK market rose 46.9% to 14,589, while output intended for export fell by 10%. The top five export markets—EU, United States, Turkey, China, and Japan—each saw declines in November, contributing to a total of 48,537 cars produced for global markets, representing more than three-quarters of total output. That pattern underscores how shifts in global demand and regulatory frameworks influence the UK’s vehicle flow to key buyers, even as domestic production seeks to strengthen.
The eight-month, continuous decline in van, truck, bus, and coach volumes continued in November, in part reflecting the consolidation of two plants into a single facility in the North West. The consolidation has supported some long-term productivity gains, but it also coincided with the ongoing challenge of ramping up new vehicle programs and aligning supply chains with evolving technology and regulatory requirements.
The broader policy backdrop continues to influence sentiment and strategic planning. The European Union recently announced a shift away from an explicit 2035 ban on petrol and diesel car sales, opting instead for broader CO2-emissions targets and a wider technology mix. The move could complicate the UK’s alignment with its biggest vehicle market and largest source of imports, as the SMMT warned that greater freedom for multiple propulsion technologies may place UK manufacturers out of step with EU requirements and local-content rules.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, cautioned that while UK government support—ranging from new funding to revised trade deals and energy-cost reductions—could spur growth, that momentum might be undermined if EU policy shifts drive tighter local-content rules or otherwise alter the competitive balance. He called for a pragmatic, inclusive approach to preserve competitiveness across the European automotive ecosystem and to ensure the UK remains a reliable partner in a highly integrated regional market.
Looking ahead, the SMMT maintained a cautiously optimistic view for 2026, supported by ongoing investments in new models and factory modernization. The industry expects that the combination of government backing, improved supply-chain resilience, and the introduction of new EVs in key plants could help reverse the current downturn in the coming year, even as producers monitor international developments and regulatory changes that influence demand, trade, and investment decisions.