UK vehicle production grew by 5.7% year-on-year in August, with 40,872 units manufactured.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which has published the data, said this included the strongest increase in car production since December 2025, up by 6.1% to 39,328 units. It said this was driven largely by growth in output for the domestic market, which rose by 26%. Export car production – which accounted for 77.1% of the overall total, grew by 1.4%.
Electrified vehicle production, including full EVs and hybrids, rose by 2%, accounting for 43.6% of cars produced.
Commercial vehicle production fell by 4.8% to 1,544 units.
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Despite the strong year-on-year figures, the SMMT warned that the low-output month of August was subject to volatility due to variable summer shutdown schedules, which this year had spanned July and August at some plants. Year-to-date output is down by 7.1%.
Concern over EU proposals
The organisation added that, although investment of more than £1 billion into UK vehicle manufacturing announced in September demonstrated international confidence, there was a threat from the EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act and its ‘Made in Europe’ proposals. The SMMT said that as drafted these would render UK-built vehicles uncompetitive in their largest global market, posing an “existential threat” to UK production.
The SMMT said a postponed EU-UK summit needed to be urgently rescheduled to discuss the matter, as well as proposed tougher ‘rules of origin’ requirements.
Mike Hawes, chief executive at the SMMT, said: “August’s return to growth and this month’s £1 billion-plus investment commitments show hard-won confidence in UK automotive manufacturing, confidence that must be protected, not put at risk.
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“The UK and EU automotive industries are deeply integrated, so effectively excluding British-produced vehicles from their largest market would assure mutual damage.
“Both sides must urgently agree practical fixes to protect jobs, preserve shared competitiveness and keep the EU and UK industry moving.”