Tata’s decision to build a new electric car battery plant in Somerset has been welcomed by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. The institute said the gigafactory represents a “good start” in the drive to revive an ailing UK automotive sector, but emphasised the need for additional investment in order to support growth and EVs as part of the country’s decarbonisation strategy.
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has welcomed Tata’s decision to locate a multi-billion-pound electric car battery plant in Somerset, while emphasising the need for additional government support to “filter down” to the aftermarket. Steve Nash, CEO of the IMI, said: “There is no question that this is great news for the UK economy, with the prospect of thousands of jobs. For the UK to become a centre of excellence in the electric battery field is crucial for future decarbonisation ambitions. Such a sign of intent from the UK government to support the Tata decision is encouraging for the whole automotive sector. What we now need is for that intent to filter down to the aftermarket too.”
Tata Sons has confirmed that it will invest £4 billion in building a 40GW battery cell gigafactory in the UK. The plant will supply JLR and Tata Motors commencing from 2026. With the foundering of BritishVolt’s plans for something similar, as the car parc transitions to electric propulsion, the Tata investment is a welcome boost for the UK car parc and for its OE tyre suppliers.
Following the news that France has opened its first electric vehicle battery factory in Billy-Berclau in the northern region of the country, Sumit Das, senior analyst, Automotive at GlobalData, says: “France’s first EV battery gigafactory will provide a base to step up the production of batteries and electric vehicles as the European Union has set a 2035 deadline to phase out the sale of new fossil fuel cars.”
Following the news that the Canadian Federal Government and Volkswagen have agreed to invest more than $14.8bn for the construction of a battery gigafactory in Ontario, Lucy Tripathi, automotive senior analyst at GlobalData, ocomments: “Volkswagen is the second largest automaker in the world and the battery cell business is one of its new auto strategies, which will help the company in becoming a leader in low-carbon or zero-carbon emission mobility. The goal of Volkswagen is to have 80 per cent of its vehicles to be electric by 2030.
The Financial Times is reporting that UK battery firm Britishvolt is close to collapse after £100 million of funding for its £3.8 billion electric vehicle battery gigafactory failed to materialise.
Nissan is set to invest £1 billion Nissan in building what it calls EV36Zero, “a world-first EV manufacturing ecosystem”, according to the company. Located alongside the company’s Sunderland factory, the project sees Nissan partner with Envision AESC, a battery maker, and Sunderland City Council. Comprised of three interconnected initiatives, Nissan EV36Zero brings together electric vehicles, renewable energy and a 9GW of battery production. With plans for a new UK-made Nissan-branded crossover car model incorporated, the factory investment is also welcome news for the original equipment tyre business, which has been hampered by reduced production and factory closures across the country in recent years.
Dr Andy Palmer, former CEO of Aston Martin, and non-executive vice chairman of InoBat Auto, a European electric vehicle battery producer, is calling on the UK Government to stimulate investment into domestic EV Battery Production.
Despite signing an MoU regarding a similar project in Wales in July, Britishvolt has appointed a construction company (ISG) to build a new gigaplant in Blyth, Northumberland, with construction planned to commence in Summer 2021. The result of £2.6 billion investment, it will begin producing lithium-ion batteries for the automotive and renewable energy industries at the end of 2023. Construction of further phases will continue until the end of 2027.
Britishvolt, which is purportedly making one of the UK’s largest-ever industrial investments, has announced the appointment of Ray Macera as project director for the construction of Britain’s first battery gigaplant. The new gigaplant is being designed by leading Italian design experts Pininfarina. It is set to be sited on a former RAF base in Bro Tathan, South Wales and will house Britishvolt’s manufacturing and research and development facilities.
Britishvolt has appointed automotive specialist Charles Morgan, to both its advisory board and board of directors, as a non-executive director.
Charles Morgan, whose grandfather founded world-renowned British brand Morgan in 1909, combines his automotive heritage with a deep global industry knowledge, and a passion for a sustainable, green future. In his new role, he will become a valuable contributor in guiding Britishvolt to realising the full potential of the UK automotive supply chain. Considering his experience in automotive production, the news is reminiscent of earlier analysis that gigafactory battery production could be poised to replace lost OE vehicle construction in the UK post-Brexit and now in the post-corona context.
Following the news that Wales is the preferred location for Britishvolt’s proposed UK Gigafactory, Britishvolt has appoint Isobel Sheldon, as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Head of the Advisory Board.
Britishvolt has shortlisted Bro Tathan in South Wales and one other site for the UK’s first 30 plus GWh Gigafactory. Britishvolt eliminated 40 other proposals in the process. When the project is finalised, the company says the initial wave of £1.2 billion of investment into the site will eventually lead to around 3,500 jobs.
The UK government is searching for 4 million square feet of industrial space to house an electric vehicle Gigafactory. According to Property Week, the Department for International Trade (DIT) has made the request for “an electric vehicle research, development and manufacturing plant in the UK”. In addition, the 650-acre Gravity site in Somerset has been specifically linked as prospective location for the apparent Gigafactory project. And what’s more Property Week has linked Tesla to the search for the site. Taken together, the scale of the project, DIT’s confirmation that it is for vehicle research, development and manufacturing, and the suggestion that it is all for Tesla mean the project is a prospective Gigafactory.
Roughly a year after reports suggested the UK could become home to a gigafactory, AMTE Power and Britishvolt announced plans to investigate collaborating to build the UK’s first full cycle battery cell GigaPlant, servicing the automotive and energy storage markets. Both parties have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) focussed on each other`s complementary ambitions to create and expand an onshore manufacturing supply chain. The successful outcome of the collaboration would enable scalable production of a diverse product portfolio of lithium ion batteries to support the country’s Road to Zero targets and unprecedented transition to electrification.
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