(Reuters) - Britain's car output slipped in August from a year earlier, snapping a six-month growth streak, as manufacturers paused production to prepare for a shift towards next-generation electric vehicles (EV), an industry body said on Thursday.
Last week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak watered down Britain's plans to tackle climate change, and said he would delay a ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans to maintain the consent of the British people in the switch to net-zero.
"A decline in UK car output in what is always the smallest and most variable volume month is not a cause for concern," SMMT CEO Mike Hawes said in a statement.
A total of 45,052 units rolled out of factory lines in the country in August, a 9.7% decrease from the year earlier, according to data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Combined volumes of electrified vehicles rose 2.8% in August, the data showed.
Manufacturers used the summer holidays to an advantage to upgrade their plants as part of a commitment to deliver next-generation EVs, SMMT said.
Last week, Britain's main manufacturing trade body Make UK cut its forecast for the sector's growth for this year and next, citing a sharp fall in factory output and economic uncertainty due to rising interest rates, cost of living and slowing overseas markets.
The UK's car industry, a significant driver of manufacturing and exports, has recently seen consistent growth in output as global chip shortages ease, while EV sales have remained robust.