Before Stellantis’s announcement earlier today, reports suggested the government was about to announce a consultation on the ZEV mandate following talks between ministers and car makers last week. At the time of writing, nothing has officially been announced.
The Luton plant has a history dating back nearly 120 years. It was opened in 1905, when Vauxhall needed to expand from its original site in South London, and has produced vehicles ever since then.
General Motors bought Vauxhall in 1925 and rapidly expanded the Bedfordshire factory. In 1931, it launched commercial vehicle brand Bedford, which made lorries, buses and coaches at the site.
During the Second World War, the plant was used to make lorries and tanks.
When civilian production returned, it initially focused on cars for export before starting production of the Wyvern and Velox cars. In the 1950s, around 36,000 people worked at the site.
Vauxhall opened its Ellesmere Port factory in the 1960s, while some of the brand’s other cars were badge-engineered efforts produced by other GM plants in Spain.
Luton found huge success in the 1970s with the Cavalier, which proved such a success a new production line and paint shop were built.
