Stellantis, resulting from the merger between Fiat Chrysler and the
PSA Group, is the leading commercial vehicle producer in the United Kingdom. The manufacturer owns the
Vauxhall brand which operates its commercial vehicle plant in Luton. Stellantis recorded a production of around 77,458 vehicles in 2022.
Since selling their first cars, Vauxhall established itself as a mainstay of the British automobile industry. Today it is the country’s oldest car brand still in production.
Commercial vehicle sales struggles post-pandemic
The
sale of commercial vehicles in the United Kingdom declined in 2020 amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,dropping to around 333,600 units. This considerable decline was not offset by the industry's 2021 and 2022 recovery. The semiconductor and driver shortages are still impacting the commercial vehicles sector in the UK.
Registration figures did not echo this development, rising to 396,000 in 2021—over 30,200 more registrations than 2019.
Production in the EU
In the
European Union, production of commercial vehicles also did not rebound from the 2020 drop. Van production in the European Union dipped in 2021, which did not reflect the global market.
Heavy commercial vehicle and buses worldwide production dropped in 2021, while vans were on the rise.