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
1The UK automotive manufacturing sector employed 140,000 people directly in 2023, down 4% from 2022 due to restructuring
Verified2Automotive R&D employment in the UK stood at 32,000 in 2023, representing 23% of total sector jobs
Verified3In 2022, the West Midlands hosted 36% of UK automotive jobs, with 82,000 employed in vehicle assembly and parts
Verified4Jaguar Land Rover employed 38,000 staff in the UK in FY2023, with 15% in engineering roles
Directional5Nissan UK workforce at Sunderland plant was 6,000 in 2023, supporting 25,000 indirect jobs regionally
Single source6UK automotive apprenticeships numbered 5,200 starts in 2022/23, up 12% year-on-year
Verified7Female employment in UK automotive manufacturing was 18% of total workforce in 2023, up from 14% in 2019
Verified8In 2023, 42,000 people were employed in automotive supply chain logistics within the UK
Verified9BMW Group UK employed 8,500 people across its plants and offices in 2023
Directional10The North East England automotive cluster supported 120,000 jobs in 2023, with Nissan as anchor employer
Single source11UK automotive sector saw 4,500 redundancies in 2023 due to plant transitions to EV production
Verified12Stellantis UK workforce totalled 7,000 in 2023, focused on Vauxhall and commercial vehicles
Verified13In 2023, 28% of UK automotive engineers held advanced degrees, averaging 12 years experience
Verified14Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK employed 3,200 at Burnaston in 2023, with 500 in R&D
Directional15UK automotive retail sector employed 295,000 people in 2023, including sales and aftersales
Single source16Average salary in UK automotive manufacturing was £38,500 in 2023, 15% above national average
Verified17In 2022, 15,000 jobs were linked to battery production and EV assembly in the UK automotive sector
Verified18Ford UK employed 3,500 prior to Bridgend closure in 2023, with 1,800 redundancies announced
Verified19UK bus manufacturing employed 4,200 people in 2023, concentrated in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Directional20Diversity initiatives led to 12% BAME employment in automotive in 2023, up from 8% in 2020
Single source21Over-50s made up 25% of UK automotive workforce in 2023, facing skills retention challenges
Verified22In 2023, 6,800 young people under 25 were employed in automotive manufacturing
Verified23Automotive aftermarket employed 180,000 in the UK in 2023, growing 3% annually
Verified24JLR announced 1,000 new hires for EV battery roles in 2023 at Coventry
Directional25UK automotive sector training investment reached £250 million in 2023, supporting 20,000 workers
Single source26Total automotive employment including supply chain was 823,000 in 2023, per SMMT estimates
VerifiedEmployment 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
1UK car exports totalled 793,428 units in 2023, down 14.7% from 2022, valued at £19.2 billion
Verified2In 2023, 76.6% of UK-produced cars were exported, primarily to EU markets like Germany (18%)
Verified3UK commercial vehicle exports reached 112,566 units in 2023, down 24.3%
Verified4Jaguar Land Rover exported 80% of its FY2023 production, generating £15 billion in export revenue
Directional5In Q1 2024, car exports grew 2.1% to 216,102 units despite US tariff threats
Single source6UK engine exports in 2023 totalled 404,930 units, up 1.9%, mainly to EU
Verified7China became UK's top car export market in 2023 with 103,000 units, up 41%
Verified8US imports of UK cars were 25,464 in 2023, valued at £1.2 billion, led by JLR
Verified9In H1 2024, UK car exports hit record 447,721 units to China alone, up 78%
Directional10EU accounted for 61% of UK car exports in 2023, worth £12.5 billion post-Brexit
Single source11UK van exports to EU fell 28% in 2023 to 35,000 units due to trade barriers
Verified12Total automotive exports value reached £41 billion in 2023, supporting trade surplus of £15bn
Verified13Nissan exported 90% of Sunderland production in 2023, mainly to EU and US
Verified14UK imports 1.35 million cars in 2023, mostly from EU (74%), valued at £26 billion
Directional15Components exports from UK totalled £21.4 billion in 2023, 52% to EU
Single source16In 2023, Australia imported 12,500 UK luxury cars, up 15%
Verified17Turkey was top non-EU export destination in 2023 with 45,000 cars
Verified18UK truck exports declined 35% to 8,200 units in 2023
Verified19Post-Brexit, UK-EU automotive trade volume dropped 18% since 2019 to £55bn in 2023
Directional20In Q2 2024, car exports rose 0.7% to 190,500 units
Single source21BMW Mini exports from Oxford totalled 165,000 units in 2023, 87% of production
Verified22UK imported 180,000 EVs in 2023, 70% from China
Verified23Automotive trade deficit with China widened to £8.5 billion in 2023 due to imports
Verified24Japan imported 18,000 UK cars in 2023, mainly JLR models, up 10%
Directional25In 2023, 25% of UK CV exports went to Middle East, totalling 28,000 units
Single source26Components imports rose to £28.6 billion in 2023, 60% from EU
VerifiedExport 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
1UK automotive R&D spend reached £5.2 billion in 2023, 8% of turnover
Verified2Jaguar Land Rover invested £15 billion in EVs from 2023-2025, including new platforms
Verified3UK government allocated £1 billion to Advanced Propulsion Centre in 2023 for auto R&D
Verified4In 2023, 12.5% of UK car production was zero-emission vehicles, targeting 25% by 2025
Directional5Nissan committed £1 billion to Sunderland EV hub in 2023, creating 6,000 jobs long-term
Single source6UK battery gigafactory investments totalled £3.4 billion by 2023, with 120GWh capacity planned
Verified7Stellantis invested £500 million in Ellesmere Port for EV vans by 2023
Verified8In 2022, UK auto sector filed 1,200 patents, focusing on electrification and autonomy
Verified9Tata Group pledged £4 billion for JLR UK operations 2023-2027
Directional10BMW invested £600 million in UK plants for EV production 2022-2023
Single source11UK Automotive Council launched £2.5 billion Sector Deal extension in 2023 for innovation
Verified12In 2023, 35% of R&D spend was on battery tech and powertrains, £1.8 billion total
Verified13Arrival raised £100 million for electric van innovation in UK before 2023 bankruptcy
Verified14Government ZEV Challenge awarded £116 million to five projects in 2023
Directional15Toyota announced £300 million for hydrogen fuel cell R&D in UK 2023
Single source16UK launched Catapult Network with £1 billion for auto digitalisation by 2023
Verified17In 2023, 22 UK firms received Faraday Battery Challenge funding totalling £185 million
Verified18Aston Martin secured £235 million investment from Saudi PIF in 2023 for tech
Verified19Connected and autonomous vehicle trials funded £100 million in 2023
Directional20UK auto software spend hit £2 billion in 2023, 40% growth from 2022
Single source21Ricardo PLC invested £50 million in sustainable propulsion R&D in 2023
Verified22In H1 2024, EV R&D investment announcements exceeded £2.5 billion
VerifiedInvestment 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
1In 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
Verified2UK commercial vehicle production in 2023 reached 76,625 units, down 28.1% from 2022, including 55,192 vans and 21,433 trucks
Verified3In Q1 2024, UK car production rose by 3.2% to 222,437 units, with 167,961 for export representing 75.5% of total output
Verified4UK 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
Directional5In 2022, UK car production was 974,983 units, up 12.6% from 2021, driven by recovery post-chip shortages
Single source6Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant produced 25,000 electric vans in 2023 as part of its transition to zero-emission manufacturing
Verified7Nissan Sunderland plant achieved 430,000 vehicles produced in 2023, maintaining its position as UK's largest car plant
Verified8UK bus and coach production in 2023 totalled 5,912 units, down 15.4% from 2022
Verified9Toyota Burnaston plant produced 152,000 Corolla vehicles in 2023, all hybrid models
Directional10In 2023, 24.1% of UK-produced cars were fully electric or plug-in hybrids, up from 16.5% in 2022
Single source11Mini Plant Oxford produced 189,000 vehicles in 2023, including the new electric Cooper
Verified12UK car component production value exceeded £15 billion in 2022, supporting 186,000 jobs indirectly
Verified13Jaguar Land Rover's Solihull plant output reached 140,000 vehicles in FY2023
Verified14In H1 2024, UK car production increased 10.1% to 460,780 units year-on-year
Directional15Alexander Dennis Ltd produced 1,200 electric buses in 2023 at its Larbert facility
Single source16UK motorcycle production in 2023 was 2,450 units, primarily Triumph models, down 8.9%
Verified17BMW's Hams Hall engine plant produced 500,000 petrol and diesel engines in 2023
Verified18In 2023, UK plants manufactured 92,000 zero-emission vehicles, 11.9% of total car production
Verified19Ford Bridgend engine plant closure in 2023 ended production of 1.5L EcoBoost engines after 1.2 million units
Directional20Stellantis Luton plant shifted to electric vans, producing 10,000 Vivaro-e units in 2023
Single source21UK car production for export hit 905,000 units cumulatively from Jan-Jun 2024, up 7.9%
Verified22In 2021, UK car production was 865,787 units, impacted by semiconductor shortages
Verified23Honda Swindon plant ceased car production in 2021 after 30 years, with final output of 150,000 Civics
Verified24JCB's Rocester plant produced 25,000 diesel engines for vehicles in 2023
Directional25UK trailer production in 2023 reached 12,500 units, up 5.2%
Single source26In Q4 2023, UK car production declined 38.4% to 137,398 units due to model changeovers
Verified27Rolls-Royce Goodwood produced 5,739 luxury cars in 2023, up 5% from 2022
Verified28McLaren's Woking facility manufactured 2,493 supercars in 2023
Verified29Aston Martin's Gaydon and St Athan plants combined output was 6,412 vehicles in 2023
Directional30In 2023, the UK automotive sector produced components worth £17.2 billion, employing 40,000 directly in parts manufacturing
Single sourceProduction 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
1New car registrations in the UK reached 1,903,356 in 2023, up 17.4% from 2022 but still 20% below pre-pandemic levels
Verified2Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 16.5% of new car sales in 2023, totalling 314,684 units
Verified3In Q1 2024, UK new car registrations grew 11.4% to 424,420 units, with BEVs at 15.4% share
Verified4Diesel car sales fell to 8.4% market share in 2023, with 159,858 units registered
Directional5Fleet sales represented 57% of total new car registrations in 2023, up from 52% in 2022
Single source6Tesla Model Y was the UK's best-selling car in 2023 with 28,526 registrations
Verified7Ford Puma led petrol car sales in 2023 with 24,654 units as best-seller overall excluding EVs
Verified8In 2023, private buyer registrations increased 21.5% to 764,000 units
Verified9Kia Sportage was the fastest-growing model in 2023, up 164% to 24,586 registrations
Directional10New van registrations hit 391,307 in 2023, up 6.7%, with electric vans at 13.5% share
Single source11In H1 2024, new car registrations reached 1,169,682, up 6.1%
Verified12Plug-in hybrid sales rose 30% to 101,120 units in 2023, 5.3% market share
Verified13Used car sales in 2023 totalled 7.5 million units, with average price £20,800
Verified14Mercedes-Benz led premium brand sales in 2023 with 76,584 new cars registered
Directional15In 2023, 40.4% of new vans were under 2.5 tonnes, totalling 158,000 registrations
Single source16Volkswagen Golf registered 22,649 units in 2023, top family hatchback
Verified17New bus registrations in 2023 were 5,100, with 40% zero-emission
Verified18Retail EV sales grew 58% in 2023 to 121,000 units for private buyers
Verified19In Q2 2024, registrations dipped 1.3% to 383,478 amid model changeovers
Directional20Toyota Yaris Cross sold 20,845 units in 2023, boosted by hybrid tech
Single source21Used EV sales reached 200,000 in 2023, up 40%, average price £28,500
Verified22Nissan Qashqai was UK's top SUV in 2023 with 27,496 registrations
Verified23In 2023, business registrations (ex-fleet) were 285,000 new cars, up 15%
Verified24MG4 EV sales hit 21,715 in 2023, making MG top Chinese brand
Directional25New truck registrations in 2023 totalled 41,000, down 10%
Single source26In 2023, crossovers/SUVs took 49% of new car market share with 932,000 units
Verified27Audi Q4 e-tron led premium EV sales with 8,765 units in 2023
Verified28UK new car market share for domestic brands was 14.2% in 2023, led by Mini and Vauxhall
Verified29In June 2024, registrations surged 15% to 88,188 cars, best June since 2019
DirectionalSales 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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