"Today's figures show that there was a 99.7% decrease in UK vehicle production. This data captures the first full month of the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the UK economy.
"Only 197 vehicles were distributed in April, over 70,000 fewer than in April 2019. As production mainly remains halted, it comes as no surprise that half of all UK car manufacturers have suffered over 50 per cent drops in revenue (according to a recent survey by the SMMT). Car makers instead turn out more than 700,000 pieces of PPE, including face shields, visors and gowns, to support UK’s healthcare workers.
"The car market has ongoing been on a downward trend, reacting to a series of adverse factors including geopolitical pressures, weak business and consumer confidence and confusion over rules relating to clean air zones, now the impacts of COVID-19 have left demand for new cars at an all-time low.
"UK carmakers are beginning to return to work, with new physical distancing measures in place, but the COVID-19 pandemic comes at an estimated cost to the sector of up to £12.5bn."
