ELECTRIC vehicle (EV) production has started at Stellantis’s factory in Ellesmere Port.

The company said it is the UK’s only dedicated EV manufacturing plant.

Electric vans such as the Vauxhall Combo Electric, Opel Combo Electric, Peugeot e-Partner, Citroen e-Berlingo and Fiat E-Doblo will be made at the site.

A £100m investment by Stellantis secured the future of the former Vauxhall car manufacturing site, which had been in doubt due to post-Brexit trading arrangements.

The factory is solely producing EVs, with the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans being banned in the UK from 2030.

Business Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, said: "Today’s announcement, in which Ellesmere Port becomes the UK’s first electric vehicle-only manufacturing plant and the first Stellantis plant globally dedicated to electric vehicles, is a very visible demonstration that this Government has got the right plan for the UK’s automotive sector.

"Alongside recent investments from other major vehicle manufacturers, we are ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of automotive innovation as well as securing jobs in this critical industry and its wider supply chain."

Stellantis Ellesmere Port plant director, Diane Miller, said: "The start of electric vehicle production at Ellesmere Port signals a bright future for the plant, ensuring it will continue to manufacture vehicles for many years to come.

"With Vauxhall’s long history of UK manufacturing, it’s especially fitting that the first electric model to roll off Ellesmere Port’s production line is a Combo Electric, whilst the welcome addition of the Fiat E-Doblo to the plant is a positive reflection of increasing electric vehicle demand."