vauxhall plant in luton, vauxhall plant in luton, vauxhall plant here at ellesmere port. fears have now been that those fears have now been banished by this vote of confidence uk confidence by stellantis in uk car making. >> absolutely . for a few years >> absolutely. for a few years there we weren't . there was no there we weren't. there was no security in this plant. but these models have a ten year lifespan and we'll be all electric. so when everybody has to be electric in 2030, we'll already be there. there's no decision making to make. we'll just build the next vehicle. i'm absolutely convinced. >> diane miller , plant director >> diane miller, plant director here at vauxhall ellesmere port, many congratulations to you. well, the sun is out here in cheshire, mark and pip, and there's certainly a sunny disposition in among car workers here at ellesmere port, a good news british story, a vote of confidence by one of the world's biggest car makers in britain. and british manufacture earring. >> great to have a good news story, liam. thanks so much for bringing us all th

now, it's a big day for the vauxhall plant at ellesmere port near liverpool. first car factory in britain to make electric vehicles only. it's also a world first for its owner — auto giant stellantis, which also owns peugeot and citroen,as it's the company's first—ever ev—only factory. later today the first combo electric van rolls off the production line. earlier, our correspondent hannah miller was in ellesmere port and told us about the atmosphere in the factory. people here certainly very excited this morning. this is a day that many people here didn't think would come, frankly, at certain times over the last decade or so. it's been a really turbulent time for the car industry, but the production line here is now up and running this morning. and we can talk to diane, who is the plant director here. morning to you. i mean, we'rejust trying to sum it up, really. how significant a day is this for you? it's huge. it's huge for the plant and the surrounding community. we are so proud to be the first all—electric van plant, all—electric vehicle plant, in fact, i

it's a big day for the vauxhall car plant at ellesmere port.ritain to make only electric vehicles. it's also a world—first for its owner — car giant stellantis — which also owns peugeot and citroen. it's the company's first ever ev—only factory. later today, the first electric van will roll off the production line. hannah miller is there and sent us this report. people here are certainly very excited this morning. this is a day that many people here didn't think would come frankly at certain times over the last decade or so. it's been a really turbulent time for the car industry, but the production line here is now up and running this morning. and we can talk to diane, who is the plant director here. morning to you. good morning. let's take your life to the house _ good morning. let's take your life to the house of— good morning. let's take your life to the house of commons, - good morning. let's take your life to the house of commons, where| good morning. let's take your life . to the house of commons, where the justice secretary alex chalk is

it's owned vauxhall since 2021. there's a vauxhall since 2021. and i'd say the security of this plant is now very, very clear. stellantis has invested a huge amount of money in the building behind me. we can't get in there to broadcast live. we're having problems with the signal because of the steel roof of the building. but behind me , i've building. but behind me, i've seen can see some of the seen it. you can see some of the pictures we took some pictures here. we took some pictures here. we took some pictures they pictures earlier. they have repurposed production plant repurposed the production plant . it's the of three . it's the size of three football pitches. and they're going producing here 75 going to be producing here 75 odd thousand new ev vans under the vauxhall combo. marque per yeah the vauxhall combo. marque per year. securing bev and andrew. and this is fantastic news over a thousand jobs, well paid skilled jobs for this area producing electric vehicles for years to come. >> and liam i can remember , as >> and liam i can remember,

good morning from the vauxhall and stellantis factory, the vauxhall and stellantis factory, the firsts uniform yesterday morning. thejustice secretary has ordered an urgent investigation into what happened. an urgent investigation our reporter simonjones has more. an urgent investigation currently britain's most wanted man. the hunt for daniel khalife, facing serious charges of threats to the state, is being described as urgent and extensive. despite all the security that should have been in place here at wandsworth prison, the former soldier managed to escape from the jail�*s kitchen by strapping himself to the bottom of a food—delivery van. he was wearing his distinctive chef's uniform. he could be anywhere in the country at the moment and, yes, of course we're mindful of the risk of him potentially leaving the country. we're focusing our efforts in london at the moment. so we have counter—terrorism officers now deployed across london, working with colleagues from across the metropolitan police and our partner agencies to try and find him here. he has connections to the north west o

let's stay in the uk, because it's a big day for the vauxhall plant at ellesmere port.n to make electric vehicles only. it's also a world first for its owner — auto giant stellantis, which also owns peugeot and citroen — as it's the company's first—ever ev—only factory. later today, the first combo electric van rolls off the production line. how big a milestone is this for the uk car industry? anna—marie baisden is head of autos at the research company bmi. nice to see you. this is a very important day, isn't it? it nice to see you. this is a very important day, isn't it?- important day, isn't it? it is. it is a important day, isn't it? it is. it is a real— important day, isn't it? it is. it is a real landmark- important day, isn't it? it is. it is a real landmark for - important day, isn't it? it is. it is a real landmark for the l it is a real landmark for the industry shifted to electrification, which we have seen so much talk around the need for this because it is the way that the market is going when you look at the data. in august, 20% of sales where electric vehi

vauxhall�*s ellesmere port becomes the uk's first ev—only factory — after a £100 million investment.

it brought the uk into line with france and germany, and toyota agreed that was pragmatic, while vauxhallent would not change their plans. but what might it do to consumer behaviour? electric and hybrid sales have accelerated quickly. these numbers show the growth in new sales last year alone, but they still make up only 6% of all cars currently on the road. the 2030 ban was forcing new buyers into an early costly switch, according to driver groups. drivers will be very, very happy about this because they're not going to be forced into spending a lot of money on electric vehicles, which hopefully by 2035 will be come down to more reasonable levels. that's the good thing about this. opinions and the reasons for them was divided in staffordshire today. i think it's a bad move because everyone's pressing for the environment, you know, improvements and all the rest of it and it's... it's going back. i've just had to queue for over an hour to charge the car. i'm going to have to wait an hour for the car to be charged. we just don't have the infrastructure for it. the right thing is help people

re—charging britain's car industry — vauxhall�*s ellesmere port becomes the uk's first ev—only factory i and ben thompson. —— i am iand ben thompson. —— i am ben thompson. the british government has announced it is to rejoin horizon —

it brought the uk into line with france and germany, and toyota agreed that was pragmatic, while vauxhalltis said today's announcement would not change their plans. but what might it do to consumer behaviour? electric and hybrid sales have accelerated quickly. these numbers show the growth in new sales last year alone, but they still make up only 6% of all cars currently on the road. the 2030 ban was forcing new buyers into an early costly switch, according to driver groups. drivers will be very, very happy about this because they're not going to be forced into spending a lot of money on electric vehicles, which hopefully by 2035 will be come down to more reasonable levels. that's the good thing about this. opinions and the reasons for them was divided in staffordshire today. i think it's a bad move because everyone's pressing for the environment, you know, improvements and all the rest of it and it's... it's going back. i've just had to queue for over an hour to charge the car. i'm going to have to wait an hour for the car to be charged. we just don't have the infrastructure for it. the

and the second part is that vauxhall is the market leader on electric commercial vehicle sales over 30%'ve got in that product more here. >> workers understand to their fingertips what this new investment as it's a big investment means as it's a big boost to the local economy. >> a lot of other big companies have been relocated from ellesmere port over the years, and the fact that stellantis have felt that they can keep the factory here, it's just a massive boost for everyone. >> ev production is complex. as plant manager diane miller explains, it relies on these heavy battery units expensive to transport. the uk has only one battery making gigafactory , battery making gigafactory, which is chinese owned and for now, power units used at ellesmere port will be shipped from china , where the modules from china, where the modules are not made in the uk. >> yes, they come from china, but we put them together into the battery pack to what the customer would effectively see as pack. so we have as the battery pack. so we have 22 people working, doing that and putting 18 of the modules that com

they'll be sold under the vauxhall , fiat, under the vauxhall, fiat, citroen and peugeot brands, allle and resilient workforce here. so that's an absolute key part of it. and a real testament to them driving down the cost of production and the second part is that vauxhall is the market leader on electric commercial vehicle over 30% market vehicle sales, over 30% market share , fantastic product range. share, fantastic product range. and again , it just shows the and again, it just shows the confidence we've got in that product to build more product range to build more here. workers understand to their what this new their fingertips what this new investment means. >> it's a big boost to the local economy. a lot of other big companies have been relocated . companies have been relocated. from ellesmere port over the years and the fact that stellantis have felt that they can keep the factory here, it's just a massive boost for everyone in ev. >> production is complex , as >> production is complex, as plant manager diane miller explains , means it relies on explains, means it relies on th

i was in ellesmere port on thursday because stellantis the owner of vauxhall fiat citroen, peugeot, they'rer making there since the early 60s. that's the first ev only factory in britain and i was wandering around with the plant manager and we were looking at the production. they were saying, oh, we assemble our own batteries here, we assemble our own batteries. but actually the 18 and they do. and they do a great job and they produce a really product. the really good product. but the actual cells, the 18 fuel actual fuel cells, the 18 fuel cells within each battery, they still come from china and they're heavy . and in order to they're heavy. and in order to import them, there's a lot of aggro and a lot of cost and you need enough batteries in each ev car to make it run. they weigh about half a tonne so unless we can if we believe ev is the way to go and there's a big debate there of course, if we believe we can get the charging infrastructure in place , if we infrastructure in place, if we believe that we can get hold of the rare earth minerals from china, central african republic and els

you're talking to us from ellesmere port, where we've had this wonderful vauxhall news in the last few. we're seeing job creation in oxford as well. sorts of parts of the well. all sorts of parts of the country outside london under country outside of london under this government are beginning to creep back towards growth . creep back towards growth. >> well, i mean , we have had a >> well, i mean, we have had a car plant here for nearly 60 years now. so it it probably wouldn't be right just to put all the credit at the government's door for that. but look, we're very proud of the electric vehicles that we are now producing at the plant. we want to be building more of them. but we absolutely are aware that the car industry in the uk is on a precipice and we need to get more gigafactories in the uk and we need to sort out our rules of origin and deal with the eu. there are lots of warning signs that the uk car industry needs far, far greater strategic direction from the government and at the moment i'm afraid we're not getting enough of that. definitely we as angela rayner says, you thin