新闻分析｜产量持续下降折射英国汽车产业困局

Group 1 - The UK automotive industry is experiencing a significant decline, with total production in May dropping 32.8% year-on-year to 49,810 units, marking the lowest level for this period since 1949, excluding the pandemic year of 2020 [1] - The total automotive production in the UK has decreased for five consecutive months, with approximately 348,200 vehicles produced in the first five months of the year, a 12.9% year-on-year decline, the lowest since 1953 [1] - Analysts attribute the downturn to multiple factors, including US tariffs, global supply chain disruptions, and insufficient investment confidence, leading to a "low-capacity crisis" in the UK automotive sector [1][3] Group 2 - UK car exports have been adversely affected, with passenger car exports in May falling 27.8% year-on-year, particularly to the EU and the US, where exports decreased by 22.5% and 55.4%, respectively [2] - The share of the US market in UK car exports has dropped from 18.2% last year to 11.3% this year, prompting some manufacturers to pause exports or restructure production capacity [2] - Despite a new trade agreement between the UK and the US, industry insiders believe it will not fundamentally alleviate the external pressures faced by the UK automotive manufacturing sector [2] Group 3 - The UK government has introduced a ten-year industrial development strategy aimed at supporting advanced manufacturing and clean energy, with a goal for the automotive sector to rank among the top 15 globally by 2030, contributing approximately £50 billion (about $67.9 billion) to the economy [3] - Experts express skepticism regarding the effectiveness of this policy, particularly in supporting the transition to electric vehicle production, citing high energy costs in the UK compared to the EU average [3] - Without decisive government intervention, the UK risks losing its status as a traditional automotive manufacturing country amid the ongoing "low-capacity crisis" [3] Group 4 - Industry experts are increasingly looking towards emerging markets, especially China, which has a rapidly growing electric vehicle sector and strong supply chain integration capabilities [4] - Attracting Chinese automotive manufacturers to invest in the UK should be a priority for government policy, although high energy costs remain a significant barrier to investment [4]