Stellantis new era for Ellesmere Port plant

07 July 2021 | David Young

Stellantis has announced a £100million investment in Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant to transform the site for a new era in electric vehicle manufacturing

Stellantis new era for Ellesmere Port

llesmere Port will become the first Stellantis plant to produce a solely battery-electric model, in both commercial and passenger versions, by the end of next year, for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën brands and for both domestic and export markets. This dedication to battery electric vehicles will go towards achieving the UK Government's decision to stop sales of pure petrol and diesel engine vehicles from 2030.

Stellantis investment in Ellesmere Port will leverage the performance improvement actions that have been made possible thanks to a collaborative process between the company, the Unite the Union and based on the workforce's drive to transform their plant.

Stellantis strong willingness to ensure a sustainable future for Ellesmere Port has been consistently supported by the UK Government, the Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise partnership and Chester College.

Carlos Tavares, chief executive officer at Stellantis, said: "Performance is always the trigger for sustainability and this £100million investment demonstrates our commitment to the UK and to Ellesmere Port. I particularly want to thank our highly skilled, dedicated workforce for their patience and contribution; we never let them down. Equally, I want to thank our partners the Unite Union for their open mind set and strong cooperation and, of course, the UK Government for their continued support. Producing battery electric vehicles here will support clean, safe and affordable mobility for the citizens. Since 1903 Vauxhall has manufactured vehicles in Britain and we will continue to do so."

UK Government, Secretary of State for business, energy and industrial strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, said: "Ellesmere Port's proud tradition in auto manufacturing will continue for many years to come thanks to today's investment. Stellantis' decision to double down on their commitment to this site is a clear vote of confidence in the UK as one of the best locations globally for competitive, high-quality automotive production.