News
NAA Update: Investment announcements from McLaren and Bentley
McLaren and Bentley’s recent investment announcements provide a strong vote of confidence in the future of automotive manufacturing in the UK, and the North West in particular. McLaren’s continued commitment to its UK operations with a total of £500 million investment announced, reinforces the country’s reputation as a global centre for high-performance engineering, advanced technology […]
NAA Update: Electric vehicle registrations rose 44.5% in July, with electric van registrations up 74.1%
EV registrations rose 44.5% in July, with electric van registrations up 74.1%, while £130 million in matched government-industry investment from the DRIVE35 programme has also been announced. Welcome to this month’s newsletter; I hope you are all keeping well and that you had a relaxing summer break. Amidst the many current challenges facing our sector, there […]
NAA Update: Increase in UK vehicle production, calls for review of the ZEV Mandate
Vehicle production rose in May for the first time this year, supported by stronger exports and the implementation of the UK-US trade deal, however concerns remain over stricter rules of origin requirements and potential “Made in Europe” policies, and the industry is also calling for an urgent review of the ZEV Mandate. Welcome to this […]
NAA Update: UK automotive production showing welcome signs of stability
UK automotive production is showing welcome signs of stability as the UK registers its two‑millionth EV. Welcome to this month’s newsletter, and I hope you are all keeping well. I want to begin by talking about UK automotive production, which is showing welcome signs of stability, with recent output “reflecting the industry’s underlying resilience” despite global pressures. […]
NAA Update: British Industry Competitiveness Scheme launched
The launch of the British Industry Competitiveness Scheme offers the potential to cut some of the world’s highest industrial electricity costs and improve the UK’s investment competitiveness. UK car production proved resilient in March, slipping just ‑0.8% despite supply disruption, weaker export demand and ongoing model changeovers. This stability highlights the sector’s underlying strength at a […]
NAA Update: Next‑generation EV manufacturing is ramping up, with a strong pipeline of new model launches throughout 2026
The good news is that electrified vehicles (battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid) accounted for over 40% of all vehicles built in the UK in January, but a number of challenges remain, including that the industry is facing energy costs that are 80% higher than they were in 2021. Welcome to this month’s newsletter, and […]
NAA Update: Current challenges for UK automotive include the European Commission’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act
UK vehicle manufacturing entered 2026 under significant pressure, and the European Commission’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act has emerged as a major cause for concern. Welcome to this month’s newsletter, and I hope you are all keeping well. UK vehicle manufacturing entered 2026 under significant pressure, with January output affected by weaker export demand outside Europe […]
NAA Update: UK vehicle manufacturing had various challenges in 2025 but output could rise to 824,000 units in 2026
UK vehicle manufacturing endured a difficult 2025 but the sector showed resilience and ended the year with renewed momentum, with electrified vehicles reaching a record 41.7% of production. Welcome to this month’s newsletter, and I hope you are all keeping well. UK vehicle manufacturing endured a difficult 2025, with restructuring, weak global demand, trade uncertainty […]
NAA Update: Season’s Greetings from the NAA
An additional £1.5 billion of funding to drive competitiveness and investment through the DRIVE35 (Driving Research & Investment in Vehicle Electrification) programme was announced in the Budget. Some pre-Christmas cheer for the automotive industry was announced in last month’s budget with an additional £1.5 billion of funding to drive competitiveness and investment for the DRIVE35 (Driving Research […]
NAA Update: Electric car sales up in October, but watch out for the Budget
A quarter of buyers opted for electric cars in October 2025, putting this year’s ZEV tally ahead of the whole of 2024 with two months still to go, but just as EV sales make real progress, at the same time there are government proposals to scrap Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS), and the possibility of […]
