UK car production drops 6% as supply problems persist

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British car production fell 6% in September, an industry body said on Thursday, as the sector continues to bear the brunt of high energy costs, supply chain problems and shortages of components.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 63,125 units were made in Britain in September, nearly half the levels seen in 2019, before the pandemic hit.

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Battery electric vehicle (BEV) production rose 16.6% in the month, SMMT said.

The value of global electric vehicle exports, which accounts for more than a third of all UK car exports, jumped to 7.9 billion pounds ($9.13 billion) from 1.3 billion books over the past five years.

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In September, SMMT said energy costs had become the top concern for UK automakers, which collectively racked up more than £300million in bills in the year to August.

« In the week that the UK will have a new Prime Minister, the industry is calling on the government to work together to create a competitive business environment for UK car manufacturing, » SMMT said.

Britain’s new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who replaced Liz Truss after her brief stint, tackles an economy facing recession at a time when the Bank of England is raising interest rates to tame inflation to two figures.

“Stability, combined with a plan that tackles critical skills shortages, provides regulatory certainty and lowers the cost of energy over the long term, can help put the UK at the forefront of the next-generation automotive manufacturing, » said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes. in a report. ($1 = 0.8655 pounds) (Reporting by Amna Karimi in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)