British engine production falls -27.0% in 2020 as pandemic hits output

• UK engine manufacturing down -27.0% in 2020 to just over 1.8 million units.
• Production for domestic and overseas markets falls -23.4% and -29.1% respectively.
• December saw production fall -7.9% to round off bleak year for sector.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said,

2020 was a tough year for UK engine manufacturers with the coronavirus pandemic chiefly responsible for the fall in output. That said, factories still turned out more than 1.8 million internal combustion engines, with the majority of these exported globally. This reinforces how important it is that, in the increasingly rapid transition to electrification, the UK’s skilled engine manufacturing workforce is not left behind, as they should be a critical component in positioning the country as a competitive place to produce ultra-low and zero emission vehicles.