UK car manufacturing output fell 95.4% in May with just 5,314 vehicles produced, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The year-to-date figures were 324,763 cars in UK factories, down 41.7% on 2019.
According to the association, capacity was held back by social distancing requirements and reduced demand, with global markets just beginning to reopen and the UK remaining in lockdown.
‘May’s figures are yet more evidence of why the UK industry, like its global rivals, needs dedicated support to drive a successful restart,’ said Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive. ‘Government assistance so far has been vital in keeping many businesses afloat, but the job isn’t done. Measures to boost cashflow, including additional and tailored finance schemes, tax relief and business rates deferral would deliver immediate results when liquidity is most acute.’
This story uses material from the SMMT, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.