A FAMILY from Ellesmere Port are all on a mission to drive cleaner and greener into 2022.

Former oil worker David Rix, his wife Janet and daughter Jan are keen to spearhead the change which many of us will have to make over the decade ahead.

The trio have just bought three different all-electric Vauxhall models, with David opting for the Mokka-e SRi, Janet for the Mokka-e Elite and Jan for the Corsa-e Griffin from leading local and national car retailer Lookers.

“After 40 years working in the oil industry in various roles, I’m conscious of the effect that fossil fuels are having on our environment and their finite nature as a fuel source,” said David.

“We started thinking about greener transport options last year and when saw and experienced what was available, it really helped to make our mind up. There was such a wide choice of models and after going through our budget options, Vauxhall – a brand with big links to the local area – came out on top."

Growing up locally, David was surrounded by big industry, taking up a post in the oil refinery for Shell UK at a young age and working in the energy right until his retirement almost a decade ago.

The town is famous for oil refining but also motor manufacturing, with Vauxhall being a major employer locally for more than 40 years.

In July, Stellantis announced a £100 million investment in Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant to transform the site for a new era in electric vehicle manufacturing.

Ellesmere Port will become the first Stellantis plant to produce a solely battery-electric model, in both commercial and passenger versions, by the end of next year, including the Combo-e and Combo-e Life, for both domestic and export markets.

Green energy is also high on the agenda for the port town in Cheshire as the council brought forth plans for the Ellesmere Port Industrial Area (EPIA) to become a green energy ‘Super Place’ linking clean and green growth and low carbon technologies.

These ambitious plans mark an investment of £1.8bn in the EPIA which is home to 1,300 businesses and employs over 24,000 people, with another 10,000 jobs forecasted.

The town’s move to a greener future is part of what inspired the family to take the leap to all-electric driving.

“Ellesmere Port has a long and proud history in motoring and I’m excited that by supporting greener driving we can play a part in the push to a greener future,” Janet Rix said.

Janet and David’s daughter Jan, a local NHS worker, has been enjoying the all-electric experience despite some initial reservations.

She said: “I would definitely recommend going all-electric to others and it will soon be the norm as more and more charging points continue to be installed right across the country. It does require some forward planning but once I got the charging point installed in my home it has become a breeze. No late night runs to the petrol station!”