Tata Group picks UK for new EV battery plant

Jaguar Land Rover-owner Tata Group has zeroed-in on UK for its new electric vehicle battery plant, that will supply JLR's future battery electric models including the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands. The company said the factory includes an investment of 4 billion pounds ($5.2 billion).

"Tata Group's multi-billion-pound investment in a new battery factory in the UK is testament to the strength of our car manufacturing industry and its skilled workers," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement.

The government said the factory would create up to 4,000 jobs, with further jobs expected to be created in the supply chain.

PM Sunak stated, "With the global transition to zero emission vehicles well underway, this will help grow our economy by driving forward our lead in battery technology whilst creating as many as 4,000 jobs, and thousands more in the supply chain."

Apart from the UK, the Indian Group had also been considering Spain for its new factory. N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said, that the Group is deeply committed to a sustainable future across our business.

"Our multi-billion-pound investment will bring state-of-the-art technology to the country, helping to power the automotive sector’s transition to electric mobility, anchored by our own business, JLR," he said.

Chandrasekaran also mentioned that with the strategic investment, the Tata Group has further strengthened its commitment to the UK.

Britain is trying to catch up in the global race to build electric vehicle (EV) battery capacity locally - vital for automakers which rely on heavy batteries being built near their car factories.

The investment will be crucial to boosting the UK’s battery manufacturing capacity needed to support the electric vehicle industry in the long term. With an initial output of 40GWh, it will also provide almost half of the battery production that the Faraday Institution estimates the UK will need by 2030.

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