Stellantis plans to transfer operations from its Luton plant near London to its Ellesmere Port site in northwest England, putting more than 1,100 jobs at risk as the automaker grapples with a slow electric-vehicle market and fierce competition from Chinese rivals.

Stellantis wants to make its Ellesmere Port factory the central UK production hub for its light commercial vehicle business, pledging an additional £50m of investment. This is good news, because it safeguards that factory.

Vauxhall has announced plans to invest £50m in its Ellesmere Port plant as it prepares to cease manufacturing at its Luton site. As a result of the Luton closure, operations would be transferred to Ellesmere Port's North Road factory, creating hundreds of jobs.

More than 1,100 jobs at the van-making factory are at risk, but Stellantis said it is hoping to transfer "hundreds" of Luton jobs to the group's Vauxhall site in Ellesmere Port. It is now in consultation with unions and employees over the proposals, which will also see it invest £50m into the Ellesmere Port factory.

Stellantis, owner of the Vauxhall brand in the UK, has announced it will close its vehicle manufacturing plant at Luton – where Vauxhall has been making vehicles since 1905.

Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Vauxhall's owner Stellantis said it is planning to shut the Luton site next April.

Italian car giant says it is planning more investment to enhance its other UK factory at Ellesmere Port as the UK's sustainable, EV-only volume manufacturing plant. View on euronews

Stellantis has announced its intention to close their Luton plant in the United Kingdom. The facility was slated to begin building mid-size electric vans next spring, but the automaker wants to consolidate production at Ellesmere Port.