Stellantis, makers of Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall vans, has officially opened the UK’s inaugural Green Automotive Hub, designed to bolster electric van production at its Ellesmere Port manufacturing facility.
Situated at Queen Elizabeth II Eastham docks in Merseyside, the Green Automotive Hub is the result of a collaborative effort between Stellantis, Suardíaz, and Peel Ports. The hub is specifically designed to facilitate maritime logistics service, streamlining the supply of parts to Ellesmere Port, the UK’s first EV-exclusive volume manufacturing plant.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official opening of the Green Automotive Hub as it welcomed a vessel from Vigo Port in Spain, the location of Ellesmere Port’s sister plant.
The maritime route spanning 891 nautical miles aims to significantly reduce annual CO2 emissions by 30% and slash energy consumption by 37% when compared to traditional road travel. This initiative aligns with Stellantis’ Dare Forward 2030 commitment to achieving carbon neutrality globally by 2038. Additionally, the route is anticipated to eliminate approximately 14,700 lorry journeys annually across the UK and continental Europe, covering an estimated distance of 17.5m kilometers (approximately 11 million miles).
Each ship servicing the route can accommodate up to 95 lorries, transporting around 47 different part lines of sheet metal components crucial for the assembly of all-electric compact vans at Ellesmere Port. The return journey sees the packaging used for parts transported back to Vigo Port for reuse, highlighting a commitment to sustainability.
A combined investment of £10 million from Peel Ports and Suardíaz was dedicated to recommissioning a berth at Queen Elizabeth II Eastham dock, along with installing the necessary infrastructure for processing Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) ships and their cargo.
Ellesmere Port, recognised as the UK’s premier EV-only volume manufacturing plant, officially commenced electric van production in September following a £100 million investment to transform the facility.
The plant currently produces small vans under Vauxhall Combo Electric, Peugeot E-Partner, Citroën E-Berlingo, and Fiat E-Doblo models, with plans to expand production to include a range of electric passenger vehicles across Stellantis ProOne brands from 2024.
