The UK’s first electric vehicle plant is motoring. So why is the green economy stuck in the slow lane?

The country’s first production line dedicated to electric cars and vans is an important milestone – but until the charging infrastructure catches up, the revolution is at risk of running out of juice, writes James Moore

Electric vehicle production has started at Stellantis’s Ellesmere Port factory (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Archive)

We have motored past an important milestone for the green economy. Stellantis’ Ellesmere Port plant is now charging up to be the first plant in the UK dedicated to producing electric vehicles – a significant win given the doubts over its future that swirled as a result of the UK’s Brexit trading arrangements.

A £100m investment on the part of its owner coupled with (of course) a government grant secured 1,000 jobs at site, not to mention many thousands more in the supply chain.

Electric LCV (vans) and passenger car models for the company’s Vauxhall, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën brands will be on their way out of the factory gates.