UK automotive lauded as emissions halved in 25 years

Direct carbon emissions from vehicle factories in the UK halved over the past 25 years, according to the 25th Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Sustainability Report.

It shows the amount of CO2 directly emitted in vehicle production fell by 54% compared with 1999 levels, while the amount of energy and water used per vehicle is now 33% and 42% below 1999 levels.

UK manufacturers are also helping cut on-road emissions with record volumes of electrified vehicles leaving factory lines in 2023, as output rose by almost half (48%).

Recent independent analysis suggests that, with the right investment conditions, by 2035 more than a million zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) a year could be rolling off UK factory lines.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Britain’s automotive sector has been cutting carbon for decades and this new milestone is significant, not just for industry but for the nation’s move to net zero.