UK car and van output rises 36.3% to 74,031 in September but stays 3.0% down over nine months

UK vehicle production rose 36.3% to 74,031 units in September, against a month last year when a cyber incident halted output at Britain’s biggest automotive employer.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said in its September manufacturing figures that the growth, the strongest since August 2022, reflects the impact of that incident.

Output is still lower across the year. UK factories built 564,537 cars and commercial vehicles (CVs) in the first nine months, a decline of 3.0% on the same period of 2025.

Car production rose 38.6% to 70,831 units, the strongest September since 2023, when 88,230 were built.

Electrified models rose 22.5% to make up 42.3% of cars produced in the month and 70.1% of exports. Exports took 76.7% of all cars built.

CV production fell 0.9%. CV exports grew 1.6%, while output for the domestic market dropped 2.6%.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “September’s rebound is welcome, but comparison with last year’s disruption masks the pressures on UK manufacturing.”

Shipments to China rose 357.7% from a low base to a 4.4% share of car exports, and the US rose 234.8% to 16.8%. The EU remained the largest destination at 57.5%, with volumes up 12.7%.

Across 2025, SMMT’s export data put the EU at 56.7% of UK-built vehicle exports, the US at 15.0% and China at 6.3%.

An independent outlook cited by SMMT anticipates full-year light vehicle output of 731,000 units, down 2.3% on 2025 and below the mid-year view amid model changeovers.

The same outlook forecasts 752,000 units in 2027 as new models, mostly electric, enter production. SMMT said in a separate statement that this “cannot be taken for granted”.

The trade body names two threats from Europe. The European Commission’s ‘Made in EU’ proposals would, as drafted, effectively exclude UK-built vehicles from their largest market, it said.

Tougher rules of origin under the Trade Cooperation Agreement risk a shared annual £1.4bn tariff bill on EV trade in both directions from 2027.

SMMT put the UK-EU automotive trading relationship at €80bn and called the forthcoming EU-UK summit a vital opportunity to agree solutions.

At home, SMMT said this week’s Budget affirmed that the ZEV Mandate review will conclude this year, with changes effective from the start of 2027.

Manufacturers have funded at least £10bn in discounts in the mandate’s first two years, SMMT said. “That level of support is unsustainable,” it said.

SMMT also said at least £14.3bn has been committed to new EV plants and models since 2020, and that 188,000 British jobs depend directly on the sector. Further reporting is in the UK car makers and suppliers section.

Hawes said: “Mandate targets are running ahead of demand and draining resources required for British factories and jobs.”