Stellantis CEO orders review of UK plants in fresh closure threat

Vauxhall owner Stellantis has begun a strategic review of its two van-making plants in the UK with a view to possibly shutting them for good, CEO Carlos Tavares said.

Stellantis is threatening to close the Ellesmere Port and Luton facilities as part of a battle with the UK government over its opposition to the ZEV mandate, which is designed to boost electric vehicles sales.

“The ZEV mandate is hurting significantly our business model and this is triggering a strategic review of our business model, including the manufacturing footprint,” Tavares told analysts on the company’s earnings call last week.

Tavares said the company was in the middle of “an intensive and productive dialogue” with the government over the mandate.