The Indian Conglomerate Plans to Invest £4bn in Somerset Site
Tata, the Indian conglomerate that owns Jaguar Land Rover, has announced that it will build the UK’s largest battery factory for electric cars in Somerset. The company plans to invest £4bn in the project, which will create 4,000 jobs and thousands more in the supply chain.
The battery factory, which will be operated by Tata’s global battery business Agratas, will be located at the Gravity Smart Campus near Bridgwater, a former ordnance factory site. The factory will have a capacity of 40GWh per year, enough to power 500,000 electric vehicles. The factory will initially produce batteries for Jaguar Land Rover’s electric models, such as the Range Rover, the Defender, and the Jaguar brands. The factory will also supply batteries to other car manufacturers and commercial energy storage customers.
The project is expected to start production in 2026, and will be one of the largest battery factories in Europe. The project is also expected to contribute to the UK’s net zero emissions target by 2050, and to support the UK’s automotive industry, which employs 800,000 people and accounts for 14% of the UK’s exports.
The UK Government Supports the Project with Subsidies
The UK government has welcomed Tata’s decision to build the battery factory in the UK, and has offered subsidies worth hundreds of millions of pounds to the company. The subsidies are likely to include cash grants, discounts on energy costs, and funding for training and research. The government has also committed to provide full operational and financial support to the project, and to participate in future financing activities when required.
The government has said that the project is part of its strategy to boost the UK’s green economy and to attract investment in low-carbon technologies. The government has also said that the project will enhance the UK’s competitiveness and innovation in the global electric vehicle market, which is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years.
The government has also said that the project will benefit the local community and the region, by creating jobs, skills, and opportunities. The government has also said that the project will improve the connectivity and infrastructure of the area, by providing access to road, rail, and broadband networks.
Tata Shares Its Vision and Experience for the Project
Tata has said that the project is part of its vision and experience for the electric vehicle industry, which it has been involved in for over a decade. Tata has said that it has been a pioneer and a leader in the electric vehicle industry, through its ownership of Jaguar Land Rover, which has been producing electric vehicles since 2018, and through its battery business Agratas, which has been operating in India since 2011.
Tata has said that it has chosen the UK as the location for its battery factory, because of the UK’s strong automotive heritage, skilled workforce, and supportive policies. Tata has also said that it has chosen the Somerset site, because of its strategic location, availability of land, and proximity to key customers and suppliers.
Tata has also said that it cares deeply about the environment and the communities it operates in, and that it will work with and listen to its new neighbours as it builds the factory in Somerset. Tata has also said that it will use clean and renewable energy for its factory and operations, and that it will adopt the highest standards of safety and quality for its products and services.