Data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT) showed that in November, car production continued to decline, but the rate of decline slowed to 28.7% per annum compared to -41.4% per annum in October. In total, 75,756 cars were produced in November. The SMMT said the latest decline was the largest for November since 1984 and was due to a worldwide shortage of semiconductors.
The data showed that the production of cars for the domestic market decreased by 18.8% per annum, while production for foreign markets fell by 30.4%. More than 80% of all cars produced in November were exported, which reinforces the need for unhindered international trade, especially with the EU.
Meanwhile, the report showed that in November, the share of production of cars on alternative fuels amounted to 32.7% of the total volume of cars produced. In particular, the production of battery electric vehicles increased by 52.9%, to 10,359 units, and their share amounted to a record 13.7%.
From the beginning of 2021 (through November), car production totaled 797,261 units, which is about 432,794 less than before the pandemic.