In a major win for the UK-India green partnership, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is celebrating the “incredibly proud” moment this week of the Tata Group’s commitment to invest a mega £4 billion towards creating a new gigafactory to supply battery packs to electric vehicles (EVs) and related industries.
With the Indian conglomerate’s luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) as an anchor customer in the UK, the new battery plant planned in Somerset will have an initial output of 40GWh – making it one of the largest in Europe. Production is due to start in 2026 to produce high-quality, high-performance, sustainable battery cells and packs for a variety of applications within the mobility and energy sectors.
Prime Minister Sunak said: “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.
“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. We can be incredibly proud that Britain has been chosen as home to Tata Group’s first gigafactory outside India, securing our place as one of the most attractive places to build electric vehicles.”
As one of the largest-ever investments in the UK auto industry, the new factory will create up to 4,000 highly skilled jobs as well as thousands of further jobs in the wider supply chain for battery materials and critical raw minerals. The gigafactory will secure UK-produced batteries for JLR as well as other manufacturers in the UK and Europe. The location of the new gigafactory is expected to be in Somerset, south west England.
N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, said: “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.
“With this strategic investment, the Tata Group further strengthens its commitment to the UK, alongside our many companies operating here across technology, consumer, hospitality, steel, chemicals, and automotive.”
UK Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch added: “The multibillion-pound investment demonstrates that this government has got the right plan when it comes to the automotive sector.
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“We are backing the UK car industry to help grow our economy as we transition to electric vehicles, and this latest investment will secure thousands of highly-skilled jobs across the country.”
