West Midlands Gigafactory welcomes Labour plans

The West Midlands Gigafactory joint venture has welcomed Labour’s plan to accelerate electric vehicle manufacturing with a network of gigafactories, including the one planned in the West Midlands.

The political party’s plans aim to reinforce the role the West Midlands Gigafactory in the UK future electrified ecosystem – and follow the news it would deliver £2bn investment in gigafactories should the Labour party form a government.

Despite Recharge Industries purchasing of Britishvolt and other projects in the pipeline, the UK currently lags in the development of gigafactories witha network of such facilities being critical to the country’s overall net-zero targets.

The West Midlands Gigafactory – currently the only UK site with planning permission for a 60GWh capacity per year – highlighted how the right market conditions would “need to be created” to ensure battery manufacturers “consider the UK a location for their next investment” – and the plan outlined by the Labour party would be a “significant step towards achieving this”. 

Richard Moore, West Midlands Gigafactory Battery Strategy Expert said, “With demand for battery manufacturing increasing, Gigafactories, such as the one planned here in the West Midlands, will be vital to deliver the industrial and economic growth and ensure that the UK remains globally competitive.” 

“In the UK, for the automotive industry alone, demand for electric vehicle battery manufacturing capacity is expected to reach 200GWh by 2040. This is just the beginning and there is a huge energy storage market available and West Midlands Gigafactory is well-placed to support this support.” 

“We have the location, people and supply chain expertise developed in the automotive and battery sectors over many years to make us the perfect location for a Gigafactory. Now, we need to make sure that the UK has the right conditions to attract battery manufacturers to invest here.”

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change at Coventry City Council said, “As we stand at the dawn of a new electric age, we want the UK, and Coventry, to lead the green industrial revolution which will power the future of the country. 

“The West Midlands Gigafactory, alongside our broader local ambitions including the Very Light Rail programme, will put Coventry at the front of the green industrial revolution bringing significant investment and creating jobs for local people across our city. 

“The West Midlands Gigafactory is vital if we are to realise our ambitions for Coventry and Warwickshire to be at the heart of an emerging industry that can help power our local economy into the future.  Today’s announcement highlights that our local actions and investment are influencing the future industrial policy in the UK.”

Image courtesy of West Midlands Gigafactory

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