Final Vauxhall Astra made in Britain ahead of electric switch
Ellesmore Port builds its last Astra before it's transformed for EV production. Astra production moves to Germany
Vauxhall has produced its final British-built Astra as the brand prepares to transform its Cheshire hub, Ellesmere Port, to a dedicated electric vehicle factory. The British brand is aiming to produce a string of new EVs in 2023 as it looks to manufacture the Vauxhall Combo-e electric van, as well as the technically-related Citroën ë-Berlingo and Peugeot e-Partner, which come from Vauxhall’s sister brands in the Stellantis Group.
This comes after Vauxhall announced it will only sell EVs from 2028.
Vauxhall's last Astra to roll off the production line at Ellesmere Port was a red Astra Sport Tourer 1.2 Turbo SRi Nav. But that’s not the end of the line for the Astra, because the model will continue to be built at Vauxhall’s German equivalent, Opel, in Germany, before being imported to the UK.
Vauxhall managing director Paul Willcox said: “Over the last 60 years, Ellesmere Port has become one of the great British car plants, producing some of the most popular cars on the roads across generations.
“With one era closing, we’re now looking forward to an all-new electric era at Ellesmere, with the site becoming the first Stellantis plant to produce solely electric vehicles.
"Vauxhall is fast moving towards an electric future, and I’m pleased to see the next-generation of Vauxhall electric vehicles made in Britain.”
While Vauxhall won’t be making new ones anymore, you can still get your hands on a British-built Vauxhall Astra on cinch, with over 100 cars available in our all-online showroom for outright purchase or monthly payments. The Astra, which is a rival to the Ford Focus, is a popular choice for many reasons meaning it comes with plenty of kit and great value.
Or, if you’re already up for the electric revolution, we’ve a selection of the Vauxhall Mokka-e available on our site. The Vauxhall Mokka-e is an electric front-wheel drive SUV which was released in 2021 as a rival to Nissan Juke and Renault Captur.