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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Jasper Jolly

UK car production falls to lowest level since 1954

A bright blue hybrid Nissan Juke SUV on the production line at the Nissan factory in Sunderland, UK,pictured in 2023.
A hybrid Nissan Juke sports utility vehicle on the production line at the Nissan factory in Sunderland, UK pictured in 2023. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

British car production fell in 2024 to its lowest level in seven decades – barring the coronavirus pandemic – as the industry struggles with weak demand and prepares to shift away from fossil fuels to electric vehicles.

The number of cars made in the UK fell to 780,000 during the year, the lowest since 1954, except for during the pandemic when first factories were forced to close and then supply chain problems caused shortages of computer chips, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a lobby group.

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