Ford and Samsung consider Britain for electric battery gigafactories

Some of the world’s biggest carmakers and technological know-how corporations are mulling options to develop battery “gigafactories” in the United kingdom amid govt overtures to the sector.

6 companies, which includes carmakers Ford and Nissan and South Korean electronics giants LG and Samsung, are in conversations with the Government about spots for battery factories in Britain, the Monetary Times noted.

Also amongst the fascinated companies are commence-ups BritishVolt, which publicly disclosed its desire past calendar year, and Slovakia’s InoBat. 

Ford is presently taking into consideration prospective spots for a battery provider for its Transit Custom made, an all-electric van that is because of to go into output in Turkey in 2023. 

A Ford spokesman said: “As we have formerly said, we will validate the battery provider for the Transit Custom made nearer to launch.” InaBat, LG and Samsung did not respond to requests for remark. In Might, it was noted Nissan could develop a battery factory to assist its Sunderland plant.

A Government spokesman said it was “dedicated to securing gigafactories, and carry on[s] to function intently with traders and motor vehicle manufacturers to development options to mass deliver batteries in the UK”.

Britain so considerably has only one company with options for a gigafactory in the United kingdom. BritishVolt, a £2.6bn commence-up established in 2019, wants to build a production website in the vicinity of Blyth for its electric batteries.