Because of the Corona easing, British car production rose sharply in May compared to the same period of the previous year. However, the industry association SMMT complains that a global shortage of individual parts such as semiconductors is affecting the industry’s recovery. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) announced on Friday that almost 55,000 cars left the factories in Great Britain. In May 2020 there were only 5,314 vehicles due to the consequences of the pandemic, which then reached its first peak. However, the number in May 2019 was still twice as high as this year.
Association chief Mike Hawes called for more commitment from the government. “If the UK is to remain competitive, it must provide a globally attractive policy framework for both vehicle production and supply chains,” said Hawes. Investments in research and development as well as charging infrastructure would have to be driven forward in order to achieve the net zero emissions target.
According to SMMT, a total of 429,826 cars were manufactured in Great Britain in the first five months of the year, a good 105,000 more than in the previous year, but 22.9 percent fewer than in the same period of 2019. More than every fifth vehicle had an alternative drive, every sixteenth was a purely electric car. The British auto industry is clearly export-oriented, with more than one in four vehicles being shipped abroad. Despite Brexit, the most important customer remains the EU with 53.6 percent, ahead of the USA (18.3 percent) and China (7.3 percent)
