UK business car (CV) manufacturing grew 36.9% in Might as 10,813 new vans, buses, vehicles, coaches and taxis left British factories, in keeping with new figures printed right this moment by the Society of Motor Producers and Merchants (SMMT).

The sector’s efficiency was the strongest in Might since 2008, surpassing its 10-year excessive for the month final yr, and marking the second consecutive month of rising output.1

Progress was pushed by manufacturing for export final month, with a big 48.1% rise within the variety of CVs shipped abroad, at 7,943 models. Greater than seven in 10 (73.5%) British-built CVs left UK shores – 93.6% of which have been exported to markets within the EU. Extra automobiles have been additionally constructed for UK operators, in the meantime, with volumes up 13.1% to 2,870 models.

Producers have made 46,927 models to date in 2023, up 14.3% on the identical interval final yr, and a big 47.6% above that in 2019.2 Positively, Britain’s CV manufacturing volumes are resulting from enhance additional this yr, reflecting much less turbulent world provide chains and the launch of a brand new electrical van manufacturing plant.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Government, mentioned, “With ongoing progress in demand for British business automobiles, notably from abroad markets, the sector is bucking difficult financial tendencies. That is excellent news and places the UK’s CV producers in a robust place to ship inexperienced progress for the financial system and society. We will’t be complacent, nonetheless, and should make sure the UK stays a globally aggressive location for superior manufacturing – with measures nonetheless wanted to sort out our excessive price of vitality and to ensure that the UK has clean and sustainable buying and selling relationships all over the world, particularly with the EU.”