SMMT News

Overall bus and coach registrations fell 4.6% in 2014 to 7,352 units. December’s 26.1% decline driven by drop in purpose-built bus and coach registrations. Whole year demand for purpose-built coaches rose 5.8%, despite a 51.1% drop in registrations in December.

Commercial vehicle market grows 11.0% to 363,155 units in 2014, the highest level since 2007.
Van market leads growth, up 18.7% to 321,686 registrations for the year.
Truck registrations fell 26.2% throughout the year due to changing legislation.

SMMT has published Electric Vehicle (EV) registration figures for December and the full year.

2,476,435 new cars registered in the UK in 2014 – the most in a calendar year since 2004.
Year was fourth-largest of all time; only 2002, 2003 and 2004 saw more cars registered.
2014 market grew 9.3% over the previous year, ahead of the EU average of 5.7%*.

Find out who has joined the premier automotive trade association and what they get from membership. New members – December 2014

SMMT’s weekly round-up, including all the latest news from UK automotive and a message from SMMT’s Chief Executive.

1. Rise in EU car registrations – ACEA
2. European Council Summit
3. Commission announces Work Programme 2015
4. EU air quality proposals to be modified
5. Council reaches compromise on lorries and buses
6. EU support for electrical vehicle charging points
7. Week ahead

1. Budget 2015 date confirmed
2. November 2014 UK automotive manufacturing figures published
3. SMMT urges London rethink on ultra low emission car zones
4. £6bn package for UK science and innovation
5. SME sized engineering firms funded to boost skills
6. Positive outlook for UK manufacturers
7. Week ahead

202,132 engines built in November – a drop of 12.6% – as impact of retooling for new models continued.
Year-to-date output subdued with a 7.0% fall to 2,235,331 units.
Recent investments into UK engine manufacturing mean long-term expectations are positive for industry.

UK commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing fell just 0.7% in November.
Resurgent home market demand grew for second month, but exports remained subdued.
Year-to-date fall of 21.6% affected by 2013 restructuring; more positive 2015 expected.