In a big win for the UK automotive sector, Tata has confirmed it will build its new battery gigafactory at a site in Somerset. An alternative site in Spain had also been considered.
The new £4 billion plant will be one of the largest in Europe and Tata’s first outside India, with production expected to begin in 2026. Tata is the owner of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), and batteries made at the site near Bridgewater will be supplied to JLR for use in electric vehicles under the Land Rover, Jaguar, and Range Rover brands. The factory will also supply other carmakers.
Mike Hawes, the chief executive of The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said that the development was taking place at a crucial time for the UK automotive sector, adding:
“With the global industry transitioning at pace to electrification, producing batteries in the UK is essential if we are to anchor wider vehicle production here for the long term.”
The UK automotive industry is estimated to need 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) in battery-production capacity by 2030, so combined with Envision’s Sunderland plant with a planned capacity of 38GWh, the 40 GWh of capacity provided by Tata’s plant will go a long way to achieving this.
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