Tata confirms UK battery plant

JLR OWNER TATA has finally confirmed its plans to build a battery factory in the UK, targeting a start of production in just three years from now and an eventual annual manufacturing capacity of 40GWh.

In an investment totalling more than £4 billion, the Indian industry giant will establish local battery production with a view to commencing supply to 'anchor customers' - initially named as JLR and Tata Motors - as soon as 2026.

Tata's planned output is higher than the eventual 38GWh target for Envision's battery factory alongside Nissan's plant in Sunderland. The Faraday Institution, a battery research body, has forecast that the UK needs a total of 100GWh of local capacity by 2030 to satisfy demand for EV production, rising to 200GWh by 2040.