Vauxhall owner in plan to produce new electric van at Ellesmere Port
The Vauxhall owner Stellantis is poised to announce plans to build a new electric van at its Ellesmere Port plant, securing the immediate future of the site.
The company has been in talks with the UK government over financial support for further investment in the factory on the Wirral in north-west England, which has been considered in jeopardy since the Brexit vote.
Stellantis, formed this year by the merger of Peugeot and Chrysler, has decided to invest in switching the plant from producing the Astra to a new model of electric van. An announcement could come as soon as next week.
The exact government support is unlikely to be disclosed, but could run to around 10% of the total investment, which is believed to be between £300m and £400m. The Stellantis announcement will follow news this week that Nissan is to build a £1bn battery gigafactory in Sunderland, believed to be with a subsidy package from the UK taxpayer of around £100m.
Stellantis declined to comment on the news, which was first reported in Automotive News Europe. Stellantis executives indicated earlier this year that they were prepared to close the plant, with the loss of around 1,000 remaining jobs, should the government not step in with support. Disappointing sales of the Astra had combined with the uncertainty of Brexit negotiations, with a deal on tariffs between the EU and the UK only unveiled at the end of the transition period. That deal gives a further grace period for electric vehicle exports and would also allow Stellantis to source its batteries from the continent.
Stellantis’ chief executive, Carlos Tavares, has also hit out at the UK for its “brutal” ban on the sale of new petrol or diesel vehicles from 2030, which will in effect force plants such as Ellesmere Port to switch to electric production or close.
Gwyn Topham, The Guardian
Having collated the information, write a formal report on the nature of UK car manufacturing industry. (Guide Length : 1500 words)
Always include and introduction and conclusion to your report!
Details about this assignment will be presented in class and a powerpoint circulated for your reference.
Task: Research You may like to consider the following aspects:
What is the concentration ratio of the industry? Has this changed in recent years?
Is there evidence of economies of scale or natural monopoly?
How contestable is the market?
Is there any evidence of competition in the industry?
What evidence of public interest exists in the industry?
Is there evidence that abnormal profits exist in the industry?
What barriers to entry can you identify in the industry?
Has there been concern over the lack of competitive behaviour in the market?
What evidence has there been that the market is uncompetitive?
What are the alternatives to the current market structure?
What are the challenges of new technology and the change from petrol/diesel to electric vehicles?
Your assignment will be marked according to the following criteria:
Demonstration of an understanding of market structure theory (Up to 30 marks)
Evidence of research and current examples used (Up to 30 marks)
Analysis of the market and the extent to which the UK car industry shows the characteristics of an oligopolistic market. (Up to 40 marks)
Total marks available: 100 marks
Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.
You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.
Read moreEach paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.
Read moreThanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.
Read moreYour email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.
Read moreBy sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.
Read more