Britishvolt’s gigaplant plans firmly on track

Britishvolt has hit another milestone in its mission to build the country’s first battery gigaplant after successfully securing ownership of its site in the North East.

In December, the company announced that it had acquired the rights to a site in Blyth, Northumberland.

The transaction means that Britishvolt, which is the UK’s foremost investor in lithium-ion battery cell development and manufacturing, remains firmly on track to commence building of the factory in Q3 2021. First commercial production is scheduled for end-2023. 

When at full capacity in 2027 the site will be the fourth largest building in Europe and produce enough cells for up to 300,000 vehicles per year [30 GWh].

Britishvolt Chairman Peter Rolton: “This is a hugely positive and historic move forward for Britishvolt. The deal wouldn’t have happened without the expert input and collaboration of Northumberland County Council and we would like to thank the Council for all of its help and support to date. It has helped us secure the best site in the UK for a Gigaplant, a project of vital strategic importance.”

Daljit Lally, Chief Executive of Northumberland County Council, added: “We recognise the significance of this investment in the county, and the land deal helps lay the foundations to move to the next stage. This project has solid support across the county, and we look forward to working with Britishvolt as their plans progress.”

Orral Nadjari, Britishvolt CEO and Founder, said: “This is an important step in Britishvolt’s mission. We remain on track in every conceivable way and taking full ownership of our Northumberland site is further proof of our commitment to the UK economy and the automotive industry. It is our vision to collaborate with the world-class UK battery development R&D ecosystem to help drive the country forward in the next industrial revolution, ensuring that the UK remains a powerhouse on the global manufacturing map. The Gigaplant will make some the most sustainable, low carbon batteries in the world. Northumberland will be home to the best battery Gigaplant site in Europe, if not the world, and this will create direct, future-proofed, employment for around 3,000 people.”

Image courtesy of Britishvolt.

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