Vauxhall puts British manufacturing on the electric map

Manufacturing identity is not usually treated as a feature of the finished vehicle, but Vauxhall is betting that it can be. The carmaker has renewed its partnership with Made in Britain and will display the organisation's trademark on the rear of its British-built Combo Electric van. It is only the second time an automotive manufacturer has carried the mark. The first was Vauxhall's Vivaro, which displayed it between 2016 and 2025.

The move forms part of Vauxhall's new 'Brit's What We Do' campaign, but its significance reaches beyond branding. The Combo Electric is produced at Ellesmere Port, a plant that has become a test case for the reinvention of established British automotive manufacturing in the electric era.

The factory has produced Vauxhall vehicles since 1964, and following a £100m transformation in 2023, it became the UK's first EV-only automotive manufacturing plant. The investment brought a battery pack assembly shop and a fully updated general assembly line designed to improve energy efficiency and productivity. A new assembly line for medium-sized vans is also currently under construction.

For a sector facing the difficult task of preserving industrial capability while changing the technology it produces, that combination matters. So according to Vauxhall, the question is no longer simply whether Britain can build electric vehicles, but whether established plants can acquire the infrastructure, skills and supply chains needed to remain competitive as production changes.

Ellesmere Port remakes the production process

The plant now uses an energy-efficient 4-wet paint application process and has an on-site combined heat and power plant intended to reduce emissions. Vauxhall is also working towards future carbon neutrality through solar and wind power and the proposed HyNet North West Hydrogen Pipeline.

Its coastal location has created another opportunity to change the logistics supporting production. A new shipping route between Ellesmere Port and mainland Europe is expected to remove an estimated 14,700 lorry journeys from the roads and reduce CO₂ emissions by 30%.

This is the less visible side of manufacturing's electric transition and decarbonisation is not confined to the powertrain; it increasingly reaches into paint shops, energy systems and transport networks, forcing manufacturers to reconsider how a plant operates as well as what it builds. The Made in Britain mark is, accordingly, being attached to a vehicle produced in a factory undergoing a broader industrial redesign.

Eurig Druce, Vauxhall managing director and Stellantis UK group managing director, said, “Vauxhall has a proud history of British manufacturing – the longest-running vehicle manufacturer continually producing vehicles in the UK – and has been mobilising the nation for more than 120 years. Our new ‘Brit’s What We Do’ campaign celebrates our British roots, our loyal customers, and our pride in British manufacturing, featuring the Made in Britain trademark on our Combo Electric van.

“Bringing the Made in Britain trademark to our Combo Electric van celebrates the expertise of the men and women from our Ellesmere Port plant and reflects the important role British manufacturing can play in the transition to electric vehicles, and our commitment to producing commercial vehicles here in the UK. We’re pleased to continue our relationship with Made in Britain as we look towards the next chapter of British automotive manufacturing.”

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British production meets a changing market

The renewed partnership arrives as both manufacturing output and market demand point towards a larger role for electrified vehicles. More than 188,000 people are directly employed in British automotive manufacturing, underlining the sector's continuing importance to the national economy. The latest production figures also show how quickly the technology mix is changing.

Electrified vehicles accounted for a record 41.7% of British car production in 2025. Almost 300,000 battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid cars were manufactured in the UK, an increase of 8.3% on the previous year. Commercial vehicles are following a similar direction. Registrations of battery-electric vans and other light commercial vehicles rose by 23.7% during the first nine months of 2026 to 27,359. September alone recorded 4,832 registrations.

For domestic electric van manufacturers, those figures provide useful context. And the challenge is to ensure that rising demand for electric transport translates into sustained manufacturing activity and investment in Britain rather than simply increasing imports. That is where the partnership's message intersects with industrial policy. A visible claim of British production may be aimed at customers, but it also draws attention to the workforce, facilities and manufacturing capability behind the product.

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The commercial value of manufacturing provenance

Made in Britain argues that provenance itself has commercial value. Research commissioned by the organisation found that 70% of British consumers in a 2026 YouGov survey were more likely to buy a product displaying the official trademark. That was up from 44% in 2025. The 2026 survey was conducted online between 2 and 6 April among 2,095 consumers and was weighted to be representative of UK adults.

John Pearce, chief executive of Made in Britain, said, “By building the Combo Electric here in the UK, Vauxhall and Stellantis are continuing their long-standing commitment to British manufacturing. It’s also proof of the skill, expertise, passion and innovation that characterises UK industry.

“As the UK’s first 100% EV-only volume manufacturing plant, Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port facility plays a huge role in supporting the local community and the national economy, employing more than 1,000 people.

“Buying British is a clear preference for most consumers because, as well as supporting jobs and livelihoods here, British-made products are associated with sustainability, ethics and quality. Through Vauxhall’s Made in Britain-backed ‘Brit’s What We Do’ campaign, we’re making it easier for people to spot products that are genuinely British and support UK manufacturing.

“I’m very proud that Vauxhall’s electric vans will proudly display the Made in Britain trademark as both a badge of honour and a clear reminder to everyone that Britain’s automotive industry is fully charged and ready to go.”

The transition to electrification is also a transition in which industrial value is created. Battery assembly, vehicle production, logistics and low-carbon energy infrastructure all influence how much of that value remains within the domestic economy. For Ellesmere Port, the Made in Britain mark is a small physical addition to the vehicle.