Britishvolt partners with Prologis to build £200m West Midlands scale up facility to create “battery corridor”.
Battery pioneer Britishvolt will anchor its UK battery scale up facilities in the West Midlands, with an investment exceeding £200 million with partner Prologis, that will create and sustain upwards of 150 highly skilled and well-paid technology jobs.
The facility enables Britishvolt to rapidly ramp up cells that are production ready to be manufactured in larger volumes at its Northumberland Gigaplant.
Paul Franklin, Property Director, Britishvolt, said:
This is another important milestone for Britishvolt, UK plc and its world class automotive industry.
“The UK’s battery ecosystem is a global leader in integrated technology development and industrialisation with the Warwick Manufacturing Group, Faraday Institution, UK Battery Industrialisation Centre and the Advanced Propulsion Centre.”
“I am delighted to see Britishvolt lead the UK’s journey into re-industrialisation with the first full-scale battery Gigaplant. The new R&D and scale-up facilities announced today will help the UK build on its home-grown battery intellectual property and level up the country ready for the energy transition.”
To summarise the importance of the facility:
- Hams Hall is destined to become a centre of excellence for all things EV/Electrification, with major automakers close by.
- The facility will complement the Britishvolt value proposition for customers at Cambois, Northumberland and support the smooth startup of Gigaplant operations in 2024.
- Practical completion of the development is anticipated in July with fit out and equipment installation to be undertaken through to end Q3, 2023.
Tom Price, Capital Leasing & Deployment Director, Prologis UK, said:
Partnering with innovative technology brand Britishvolt has been a pleasure.
“The reputation of Hams Hall and the location’s connections to the UK automotive sector has allowed us to embark on a wider conversation with Britishvolt. With battery technology seen as the way forward, it’s exciting to be working in this growing sector.”
“Prologis is committed to embedding sustainability into every aspect of our business. When looking at “last-mile” logistics, that is the final delivery of goods to people’s homes, it’s clear that the work Britishvolt are embarking on will contribute to reducing emissions in supply chains.”
“The West Midlands is already a “golden triangle” of international battery excellence with the Warwick Manufacturing Group, Advanced Propulsion Centre and UK Battery Industrialisation Centre. This new investment and commitment to the region will further unlock the huge economic potential of the UK’s world-class battery cell ecosystem.”
Charles Spicer, Industrial and Logistics Director at Savills Birmingham, said:
This is a hugely exciting emerging sector that Savills has been tracking for number of years.
“We are delighted to have acquired this new site for Britishvolt at the heart of the UK’s automotive industry, which is a major endorsement for the wider West Midlands industrial market.”
“Britishvolt has already developed pre-A battery samples at WMG in Warwick and is scaling up its unique A-Sample cell formulations at UK Battery Industrialisation Centre in Coventry.”
“This new £200 million investment, coupled to the unique regional battery expertise, enables Britishvolt to develop new formats and formulations helping to make both higher performance and more affordable cells for the world’s future electric cars & commercial vehicles.”
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands
“Britishvolt’s collaborations with academia, industry and private enterprise will also help transition the UK from fossil fuels to a low carbon, battery-based electric future.”
Britishvolt’s investment in the West Midlands is another seismic vote of confidence both in the future of our region and our automotive prowess.
“We are already the heartland of the UK’s automotive industry with the country’s biggest car manufacturer, Europe’s largest research centre of its kind, the UK’s only battery industrialisation centre, and a world-leading supply chain. So, it is incredibly exciting that as we accelerate our Gigafactory plans for Coventry Airport, Britishvolt are adding their expertise to our cluster.”
“I am determined the West Midlands becomes a global leader in the research and production of state-of-the-art battery technology, and today’s announcement is another step towards achieving that.”
“Britishvolt has already confirmed MoUs with Lotus Cars and Aston Martin Lagonda, which, alongside other commitments to be announced shortly, have cumulative demand in excess of 7GWh in 2024 and 2025, and set the stage for the full 38GWh factory capacity that will be supplied annually from its Gigaplant site in Northumberland.”
“The release of an official A-sample battery cell to customers, which is scheduled in 2022, will help to further accelerate commitments.”
“Britishvolt is one of the fastest growing battery technology companies in Europe and globally. The company is also in discussions with the Canadian Government regarding its expansion plans in the country.”
About Britishvolt
Battery pioneer Britishvolt is focused on development of next-generation battery cell technologies and Battery pioneer and technology innovator, Britishvolt, is focused on development of next-generation battery cell technologies and associated research and development.
It is dedicated to developing the future of electrified transportation and sustainable energy storage, producing best-in-class, low-carbon, sustainable, responsibly manufactured lithium-ion battery solutions. Not all batteries are created equal.
Her Majesty’s UK Government announced on January 21, 2022, its support for Britishvolt from its Automotive Transformation Fund delivered by the Advanced Propulsion Centre.
Britishvolt acquired battery cell developer and manufacturer, EAS, in May 2022, that will allow it to develop and scale up its larger 46xx high-performance cell formats and get them to customers quicker and more efficiently. The deal is subject to completion and any regulatory approvals.
Britishvolt believes that low carbon, sustainable, responsibly manufactured battery cells can help positively change the planet. The time has come to transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable, low carbon electricity. The world deserves a clean air future for all.
About Prologis
Prologis, Inc. is the global leader in logistics real estate with a focus on high-barrier, high-growth markets. As of March 31, 2022, the company owned or had investments in, on a wholly owned basis or through co-investment ventures, properties and development projects expected to total approximately 1.0 billion square feet (93 million square meters) in 19 countries.
Prologis leases modern logistics facilities to a diverse base of approximately 5,800 customers principally across two major categories: business-to-business and retail/online fulfilment.
Highlights:
- Britishvolt has partnered with logistics real estate operator Prologis to build its UK battery cell scale-up facilities in the West Midlands, home to the internationally renowned battery ecosystem of WMG, Advanced Propulsion Centre and UK Battery Industrialisation Centre
- With a budget exceeding £200m, the plan looks to create upwards of 150 highly skilled, well-paid jobs; unifying the Britishvolt Northumberland Gigaplant with a centrally located scale-up/technology hub
- The “Battery Corridor” concept enhances the UK’s existing battery ecosystem and powers the country ahead in the next industrial revolution
- The Hams Hall site will spearhead new cell formats and electro chemistries to create higher performance, production ready, batteries of the future whilst helping lower cell costs for more affordable EVs, aiding mass adoption
- New facilities, based at Prologis Park Hams Hall, are net zero carbon in construction and will achieve an EPC A Rating in operation
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Britishvolt partners with Prologis to build £200m West Midlands scale up facility to create “battery corridor”, Northumberland, May 31, 2022
