The variety of vehicles constructed within the first three months of the yr rose by 6 per cent, however the general quantity of automobiles produced stays decrease than earlier than the pandemic.

Manufacturing totalled 219,887, in line with figures revealed by the Society of Motor Producers and Merchants.

The commerce group stated that the worldwide scarcity of semiconductors which choked off manufacturing final yr had began to ease, enabling factories to supply 12,540 extra vehicles than a yr earlier. Exports elevated by 6.6 per cent and represented nearly eight in ten vehicles made.

About two thirds of exported vehicles went to the European Union, with shipments rising by 4.9 per cent, whereas these to the subsequent greatest markets, the USA and China, fell by 4.1 per cent and eight.3 per cent respectively.

The society stated that mixed volumes of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electrical automobiles rose by 75 per cent final month, in contrast with a yr earlier, to 32,546. Two in 5 vehicles constructed final month featured ultra-low or zero-emission powertrain expertise. This pattern was set to proceed with greater than 20 fashions of electrical vehicles, vans, buses, vehicles and taxis anticipated to be in manufacturing within the UK by subsequent yr.

Mike Hawes, chief government, stated: “A second consecutive month of development for UK automobile manufacturing offers trigger for optimism, although volumes are nonetheless effectively beneath pre-pandemic ranges.”

Richard Peberdy, at KPMG, stated: “Large questions nonetheless stay unanswered about how the UK will produce electrical automobiles at a lot bigger scale.”