While UK car production fell to 775,135 vehicles in 2023, a closer look at the resilient industry’s transformation reveals a landscape of electric ambition, shifting trade winds, and a workforce of over 800,000 people driving towards a high-tech future.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, UK car production totalled 775,135 vehicles, a decrease of 20.5% compared to 2022, with 181,830 units built for the domestic market and 593,305 for export
- UK commercial vehicle production in 2023 reached 76,625 units, down 28.1% from 2022, including 55,192 vans and 21,433 trucks
- In Q1 2024, UK car production rose by 3.2% to 222,437 units, with 167,961 for export representing 75.5% of total output
- The UK automotive manufacturing sector employed 140,000 people directly in 2023, down 4% from 2022 due to restructuring
- Automotive R&D employment in the UK stood at 32,000 in 2023, representing 23% of total sector jobs
- In 2022, the West Midlands hosted 36% of UK automotive jobs, with 82,000 employed in vehicle assembly and parts
- New car registrations in the UK reached 1,903,356 in 2023, up 17.4% from 2022 but still 20% below pre-pandemic levels
- Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 16.5% of new car sales in 2023, totalling 314,684 units
- In Q1 2024, UK new car registrations grew 11.4% to 424,420 units, with BEVs at 15.4% share
- UK car exports totalled 793,428 units in 2023, down 14.7% from 2022, valued at £19.2 billion
- In 2023, 76.6% of UK-produced cars were exported, primarily to EU markets like Germany (18%)
- UK commercial vehicle exports reached 112,566 units in 2023, down 24.3%
- UK automotive R&D spend reached £5.2 billion in 2023, 8% of turnover
- Jaguar Land Rover invested £15 billion in EVs from 2023-2025, including new platforms
- UK government allocated £1 billion to Advanced Propulsion Centre in 2023 for auto R&D
UK car production fell last year but electric vehicle output is growing significantly.
Employment Statistics
- The UK automotive manufacturing sector employed 140,000 people directly in 2023, down 4% from 2022 due to restructuring
- Automotive R&D employment in the UK stood at 32,000 in 2023, representing 23% of total sector jobs
- In 2022, the West Midlands hosted 36% of UK automotive jobs, with 82,000 employed in vehicle assembly and parts
- Jaguar Land Rover employed 38,000 staff in the UK in FY2023, with 15% in engineering roles
- Nissan UK workforce at Sunderland plant was 6,000 in 2023, supporting 25,000 indirect jobs regionally
- UK automotive apprenticeships numbered 5,200 starts in 2022/23, up 12% year-on-year
- Female employment in UK automotive manufacturing was 18% of total workforce in 2023, up from 14% in 2019
- In 2023, 42,000 people were employed in automotive supply chain logistics within the UK
- BMW Group UK employed 8,500 people across its plants and offices in 2023
- The North East England automotive cluster supported 120,000 jobs in 2023, with Nissan as anchor employer
- UK automotive sector saw 4,500 redundancies in 2023 due to plant transitions to EV production
- Stellantis UK workforce totalled 7,000 in 2023, focused on Vauxhall and commercial vehicles
- In 2023, 28% of UK automotive engineers held advanced degrees, averaging 12 years experience
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK employed 3,200 at Burnaston in 2023, with 500 in R&D
- UK automotive retail sector employed 295,000 people in 2023, including sales and aftersales
- Average salary in UK automotive manufacturing was £38,500 in 2023, 15% above national average
- In 2022, 15,000 jobs were linked to battery production and EV assembly in the UK automotive sector
- Ford UK employed 3,500 prior to Bridgend closure in 2023, with 1,800 redundancies announced
- UK bus manufacturing employed 4,200 people in 2023, concentrated in Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Diversity initiatives led to 12% BAME employment in automotive in 2023, up from 8% in 2020
- Over-50s made up 25% of UK automotive workforce in 2023, facing skills retention challenges
- In 2023, 6,800 young people under 25 were employed in automotive manufacturing
- Automotive aftermarket employed 180,000 in the UK in 2023, growing 3% annually
- JLR announced 1,000 new hires for EV battery roles in 2023 at Coventry
- UK automotive sector training investment reached £250 million in 2023, supporting 20,000 workers
- Total automotive employment including supply chain was 823,000 in 2023, per SMMT estimates
Employment Statistics Interpretation
The UK auto industry is navigating a bumpy but ambitious road, shrinking its overall assembly crew while simultaneously staffing up its engineering and electric future, proving that even a cornerstone sector must sometimes shed weight to shift gears quickly.
Export and Trade Statistics
- UK car exports totalled 793,428 units in 2023, down 14.7% from 2022, valued at £19.2 billion
- In 2023, 76.6% of UK-produced cars were exported, primarily to EU markets like Germany (18%)
- UK commercial vehicle exports reached 112,566 units in 2023, down 24.3%
- Jaguar Land Rover exported 80% of its FY2023 production, generating £15 billion in export revenue
- In Q1 2024, car exports grew 2.1% to 216,102 units despite US tariff threats
- UK engine exports in 2023 totalled 404,930 units, up 1.9%, mainly to EU
- China became UK's top car export market in 2023 with 103,000 units, up 41%
- US imports of UK cars were 25,464 in 2023, valued at £1.2 billion, led by JLR
- In H1 2024, UK car exports hit record 447,721 units to China alone, up 78%
- EU accounted for 61% of UK car exports in 2023, worth £12.5 billion post-Brexit
- UK van exports to EU fell 28% in 2023 to 35,000 units due to trade barriers
- Total automotive exports value reached £41 billion in 2023, supporting trade surplus of £15bn
- Nissan exported 90% of Sunderland production in 2023, mainly to EU and US
- UK imports 1.35 million cars in 2023, mostly from EU (74%), valued at £26 billion
- Components exports from UK totalled £21.4 billion in 2023, 52% to EU
- In 2023, Australia imported 12,500 UK luxury cars, up 15%
- Turkey was top non-EU export destination in 2023 with 45,000 cars
- UK truck exports declined 35% to 8,200 units in 2023
- Post-Brexit, UK-EU automotive trade volume dropped 18% since 2019 to £55bn in 2023
- In Q2 2024, car exports rose 0.7% to 190,500 units
- BMW Mini exports from Oxford totalled 165,000 units in 2023, 87% of production
- UK imported 180,000 EVs in 2023, 70% from China
- Automotive trade deficit with China widened to £8.5 billion in 2023 due to imports
- Japan imported 18,000 UK cars in 2023, mainly JLR models, up 10%
- In 2023, 25% of UK CV exports went to Middle East, totalling 28,000 units
- Components imports rose to £28.6 billion in 2023, 60% from EU
Export and Trade Statistics Interpretation
Despite Britain's carmakers celebrating record exports to China, the lingering chill from post-Brexit EU trade barriers shows the industry is still running on a bumpy road of shifting global allegiances.
Investment and Innovation Statistics
- UK automotive R&D spend reached £5.2 billion in 2023, 8% of turnover
- Jaguar Land Rover invested £15 billion in EVs from 2023-2025, including new platforms
- UK government allocated £1 billion to Advanced Propulsion Centre in 2023 for auto R&D
- In 2023, 12.5% of UK car production was zero-emission vehicles, targeting 25% by 2025
- Nissan committed £1 billion to Sunderland EV hub in 2023, creating 6,000 jobs long-term
- UK battery gigafactory investments totalled £3.4 billion by 2023, with 120GWh capacity planned
- Stellantis invested £500 million in Ellesmere Port for EV vans by 2023
- In 2022, UK auto sector filed 1,200 patents, focusing on electrification and autonomy
- Tata Group pledged £4 billion for JLR UK operations 2023-2027
- BMW invested £600 million in UK plants for EV production 2022-2023
- UK Automotive Council launched £2.5 billion Sector Deal extension in 2023 for innovation
- In 2023, 35% of R&D spend was on battery tech and powertrains, £1.8 billion total
- Arrival raised £100 million for electric van innovation in UK before 2023 bankruptcy
- Government ZEV Challenge awarded £116 million to five projects in 2023
- Toyota announced £300 million for hydrogen fuel cell R&D in UK 2023
- UK launched Catapult Network with £1 billion for auto digitalisation by 2023
- In 2023, 22 UK firms received Faraday Battery Challenge funding totalling £185 million
- Aston Martin secured £235 million investment from Saudi PIF in 2023 for tech
- Connected and autonomous vehicle trials funded £100 million in 2023
- UK auto software spend hit £2 billion in 2023, 40% growth from 2022
- Ricardo PLC invested £50 million in sustainable propulsion R&D in 2023
- In H1 2024, EV R&D investment announcements exceeded £2.5 billion
Investment and Innovation Statistics Interpretation
The UK automotive industry is placing a massive, multi-billion pound bet on electrification, with the car manufacturers, government, and battery startups all furiously spending to avoid being left in the dust and to reclaim a piece of the future.
Production Statistics
- In 2023, UK car production totalled 775,135 vehicles, a decrease of 20.5% compared to 2022, with 181,830 units built for the domestic market and 593,305 for export
- UK commercial vehicle production in 2023 reached 76,625 units, down 28.1% from 2022, including 55,192 vans and 21,433 trucks
- In Q1 2024, UK car production rose by 3.2% to 222,437 units, with 167,961 for export representing 75.5% of total output
- UK engine production in 2023 fell to 284,969 units, a 25.7% decline year-on-year, with Jaguar Land Rover producing 62% of the total
- In 2022, UK car production was 974,983 units, up 12.6% from 2021, driven by recovery post-chip shortages
- Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant produced 25,000 electric vans in 2023 as part of its transition to zero-emission manufacturing
- Nissan Sunderland plant achieved 430,000 vehicles produced in 2023, maintaining its position as UK's largest car plant
- UK bus and coach production in 2023 totalled 5,912 units, down 15.4% from 2022
- Toyota Burnaston plant produced 152,000 Corolla vehicles in 2023, all hybrid models
- In 2023, 24.1% of UK-produced cars were fully electric or plug-in hybrids, up from 16.5% in 2022
- Mini Plant Oxford produced 189,000 vehicles in 2023, including the new electric Cooper
- UK car component production value exceeded £15 billion in 2022, supporting 186,000 jobs indirectly
- Jaguar Land Rover's Solihull plant output reached 140,000 vehicles in FY2023
- In H1 2024, UK car production increased 10.1% to 460,780 units year-on-year
- Alexander Dennis Ltd produced 1,200 electric buses in 2023 at its Larbert facility
- UK motorcycle production in 2023 was 2,450 units, primarily Triumph models, down 8.9%
- BMW's Hams Hall engine plant produced 500,000 petrol and diesel engines in 2023
- In 2023, UK plants manufactured 92,000 zero-emission vehicles, 11.9% of total car production
- Ford Bridgend engine plant closure in 2023 ended production of 1.5L EcoBoost engines after 1.2 million units
- Stellantis Luton plant shifted to electric vans, producing 10,000 Vivaro-e units in 2023
- UK car production for export hit 905,000 units cumulatively from Jan-Jun 2024, up 7.9%
- In 2021, UK car production was 865,787 units, impacted by semiconductor shortages
- Honda Swindon plant ceased car production in 2021 after 30 years, with final output of 150,000 Civics
- JCB's Rocester plant produced 25,000 diesel engines for vehicles in 2023
- UK trailer production in 2023 reached 12,500 units, up 5.2%
- In Q4 2023, UK car production declined 38.4% to 137,398 units due to model changeovers
- Rolls-Royce Goodwood produced 5,739 luxury cars in 2023, up 5% from 2022
- McLaren's Woking facility manufactured 2,493 supercars in 2023
- Aston Martin's Gaydon and St Athan plants combined output was 6,412 vehicles in 2023
- In 2023, the UK automotive sector produced components worth £17.2 billion, employing 40,000 directly in parts manufacturing
Production Statistics Interpretation
While UK auto production sputtered overall in 2023 with domestic demand and engine output notably down, the sector is quietly undergoing a high-voltage transformation towards electric exports, even if the road ahead remains bumpy.
Sales and Registration Statistics
- New car registrations in the UK reached 1,903,356 in 2023, up 17.4% from 2022 but still 20% below pre-pandemic levels
- Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 16.5% of new car sales in 2023, totalling 314,684 units
- In Q1 2024, UK new car registrations grew 11.4% to 424,420 units, with BEVs at 15.4% share
- Diesel car sales fell to 8.4% market share in 2023, with 159,858 units registered
- Fleet sales represented 57% of total new car registrations in 2023, up from 52% in 2022
- Tesla Model Y was the UK's best-selling car in 2023 with 28,526 registrations
- Ford Puma led petrol car sales in 2023 with 24,654 units as best-seller overall excluding EVs
- In 2023, private buyer registrations increased 21.5% to 764,000 units
- Kia Sportage was the fastest-growing model in 2023, up 164% to 24,586 registrations
- New van registrations hit 391,307 in 2023, up 6.7%, with electric vans at 13.5% share
- In H1 2024, new car registrations reached 1,169,682, up 6.1%
- Plug-in hybrid sales rose 30% to 101,120 units in 2023, 5.3% market share
- Used car sales in 2023 totalled 7.5 million units, with average price £20,800
- Mercedes-Benz led premium brand sales in 2023 with 76,584 new cars registered
- In 2023, 40.4% of new vans were under 2.5 tonnes, totalling 158,000 registrations
- Volkswagen Golf registered 22,649 units in 2023, top family hatchback
- New bus registrations in 2023 were 5,100, with 40% zero-emission
- Retail EV sales grew 58% in 2023 to 121,000 units for private buyers
- In Q2 2024, registrations dipped 1.3% to 383,478 amid model changeovers
- Toyota Yaris Cross sold 20,845 units in 2023, boosted by hybrid tech
- Used EV sales reached 200,000 in 2023, up 40%, average price £28,500
- Nissan Qashqai was UK's top SUV in 2023 with 27,496 registrations
- In 2023, business registrations (ex-fleet) were 285,000 new cars, up 15%
- MG4 EV sales hit 21,715 in 2023, making MG top Chinese brand
- New truck registrations in 2023 totalled 41,000, down 10%
- In 2023, crossovers/SUVs took 49% of new car market share with 932,000 units
- Audi Q4 e-tron led premium EV sales with 8,765 units in 2023
- UK new car market share for domestic brands was 14.2% in 2023, led by Mini and Vauxhall
- In June 2024, registrations surged 15% to 88,188 cars, best June since 2019
Sales and Registration Statistics Interpretation
While Britain’s car market is revving back from its pandemic slump, the fact that nearly three out of every five new cars are sold straight to fleets suggests the private driver’s dream is increasingly leased, not owned.
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