The future of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire has been secured as a production facility for Stellantis group brand electric vans, including Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen commercial vehicles.
The Vauxhall facility will be converted into a purpose-built factory for the Stellantis Group’s range of pure-electric light commercial automobiles and people carriers as production of the outgoing-generation Astra family hatchback ceases.
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That indicates Ellesmere Port will produce the Vauxhall Combo-e, Peugeot e-Partner and Citroen e-Berlingo, along with their MPV equivalents. Stellantis has also confirmed that the factory will supply both the UK and European markets.
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Stellantis, with investment from the UK government, has allocated £100 million for the re-tooling – and the company aims for the first EV to roll off the production line next year.
As part of the restructure, Stellantis has also set an ambition for Ellesmere Port to become completely carbon neutral by the mid-2020s. It will also be self-sufficient for electricity, with work set to start on wind and solar farms to supply the factory.
Vauxhall points out that the restructure will continue the firm’s history of producing automobiles in the UK. The brand has had a manufacturing presence in Britain considering that 1903.