Vauxhall, Honda and Toyota have confirmed their willingness to produce ventilators in UK plants in the fight against coronavirus
Three car makers with major UK production operations have confirmed they are willing to build medical ventilators needed to help patients with coronavirus symptoms.
Over the weekend the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, told the BBC that UK engineering firms, including car makers, would be asked to set aside factory capacity to build ventilators, which are a vital piece of medical equipment for some coronavirus victims.
2020 Geneva Motor Show officially cancelled over coronavirus fears
2020 Geneva Motor Show officially cancelled over coronavirus fearsAuto Express has contacted all major car makers with UK operations, asking if they have been in touch with the government with regards to building ventilators.
Vauxhall told us: “We have been in contact with the UK Government and are keen to assist at Vauxhall Motors’ Ellesmere Port plant. Once we have more details on the requirements, we will be able to analyse what we can do.”
Toyota said that while it has not been in direct communication with the Government: “Should Government contact us then naturally we are more than willing to investigate how we can support the current situation.”
Honda, meanwhile, said: "We have been contacted by government about the feasibility of Honda supporting the manufacture of additional ventilators.”
Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port facility is one of the largest car production facilities in the UK, and produces the Vauxhall Astra. Toyota has two plants, Burnaston in Derbyshire, which builds the new Toyota Corolla, and Deeside engine production facility in north Wales. Honda's Swindon plant, meanwhile, is due to close in 2021, but remains operational in the meantime.
The Health Secretary said that the UK has around 5,000 medical ventilators, but desperately needs more. Engineering firms are key to meeting this demand. "We've got high quality engineering in this country," Mr Hancock told the BBC. "We want anybody who has the manufacturing capability to turn to the manufacture of ventilators, to do that."
Hancock added that even if the UK builds enough ventilators for itself, other countries are also short of the equipment. “We’re not saying that there’s a maximum amount we want to do, because if we do have enough ventilators for the UK, there’s other places around the world that desperately need them too.”
We will update this article as and when other UK car makers inform us of their plans.
Do you think car makers should be doing more to help prevent the spread of coronavirus? Let us know in the comments below…
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