TRADE union Unite welcomed an announcement by Ford today that it will invest £230 million into one of its British factories to build components for electric vehicles. 

The car giant said that its plant at Halewood on Merseyside will be transformed to build power units for all-electric passenger and commercial vehicles.

Halewood will be Ford’s first in-house assembly site for electric vehicle components in Europe, and the decision safeguards hundreds of jobs.

Production at the site is set to begin in 2024. Ford has committed to having all of its passenger vehicles all-electric, and two-thirds of its commercial vehicle sales all-electric or plug-in hybrid, by 2030.

The firm said that the investment is subject to, and includes, government support through the automotive transformation fund.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This investment is excellent news for the highly skilled workforce at Halewood as it secures the future of the plant.

“It is absolutely imperative that the government does not see this investment as a one-off but supports similar schemes to ensure the entire UK automotive industry experiences a smooth transition in the move to build electric vehicles.”