Stellantis, which is one of the largest automotive groups, created through the combination of PSA Group and FCA, announced that the Ellesmere Port in the UK will become its first manufacturing site dedicated to battery-electric LCV and passenger car models for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën.
The group intends to invest £100 million to upgrade the site built in 1962, including a new body shop, upgraded general assembly, compression of the site area and the creation of an on-site battery pack assembly. 100% of the electricity will be produced locally using wind and solar farms.
"This new era of manufacturing will see a transformation of the Ellesmere Port plant “fit for the future”, with a new body shop, upgraded general assembly, a compression of the site area and the creation of an on-site battery pack assembly. In addition, there will be further support to enable a pathway to carbon neutrality for the plant by the middle of this decade. The plant aims to be 100% self-sufficient for electricity and work will commence imminently on potential wind and solar farms."
From 2022, the plant will produce compact electric vans for Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën sold in the UK and broader in Europe. The list of models includes:
- Peugeot e-Partner
Peugeot e-Rifter (passenger version) - Citroën ë-Berlingo van
Citroën ë-Berlingo (passenger version) - Opel Combo-e
Opel Combo-e Life (passenger version) - Vauxhall Combo-e
Vauxhall Combo-e Life (passenger version)
All of the vans are technically the same, equipped with a 50 kWh battery and 100 kW electric motor. The WLTP range stands at up to 280 km (174 miles). DC fast charging capability (up to 100 kW) allows to recharge from 0-80% SOC in 30 minutes.
That's the second EV-related investment in the UK so far this week, as Nissan and Envision AESC recently announced the Nissan EV36Zero hub in Sunderland (a battery gigafactory and new electric model).
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