JLR owner Tata Group has confirmed that its Agratas global battery business will build an EV battery gigafactory near Bridgwater, Somerset.

Preliminary works on the Gravity Smart Campus are in progress, with battery production set to begin in 2026

Preliminary works on the Gravity Smart Campus are in progress, with battery production set to begin in 2026.

JLR and Tata Motors will be the first customers but Agratas also plans to create batteries for other applications, including two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, as well as commercial energy storage solutions.

The new site will be Britain’s biggest battery manufacturing facility, according to Agratas, but will also be one of the largest in Europe and Tata Group’s first gigafactory outside India.

Investment Minister Lord Dominic Johnson said: “This is fantastic news for Somerset, and will create 4,000 direct jobs plus thousands more in the wider supply chain.

“We’re committed to making the UK one of the very best places in the world for automotive investment, and Tata Group’s decision to build its gigafactory here shows once again that this government’s plan for the car industry is working.”

The plans were revealed in July 2023, backed by a £4bn (€3.4bn) investment, and seen as the most important move for the UK automotive sector since Nissan arrived in the 1980s.

The plant – which will be one of the largest in Europe – will start supplies from 2026 with a capacity of 40GW of cells annually. Agratas says that by the early 2030s, the site will contribute almost half of the projected battery manufacturing capacity required for the UK automotive sector.

Currently, the UK has just one gigafactory, located next to Nissan’s Sunderland plant, although owner AESC is building a second battery and recently confirmed a third, supporting Nissan’s plans to build its future all-electric vehicles at Sunderland.

Collapsed battery factory project Britishvolt has recently hit further problems as Australian firm Recharge, which bought the project out of administration in January 2023, has reportedly missed several payments. Britishvolt administrator EY is now believed to be seeking new buyers.

Meanwhile, the West Midlands Gigafactory joint venture has made no further statement since its announcement in November 2023 that it was in advanced discussions with several leading Asian battery manufacturers about future investment at the Coventry site.

The confirmation of the Bridgwater factory follows warnings from a cross-party Committee of MPs in November 2023 that the UK government was falling behind its competitors and urgently needed to create an attractive environment for electric vehicle battery production in the UK.

The Batteries for electric vehicles report, published by the Business and Trade Committee, was followed just days later by a government pledge to invest £2bn+ in UK automotive strategic manufacturing to support zero-emission vehicles along with the publication of the Department for Business & Trade’s battery strategy that sets out plans for the UK to be “a world leader in sustainable battery design and manufacture, underpinned by a thriving battery innovation ecosystem”.

Somerset gigafactory to create thousands of skilled jobs for Britons

Agratas said its new gigafactory will create up to 4,000 new high-skilled green tech jobs in the area, with many thousands more expected to be created in the UK supply chain.

The business will work closely with local and regional partners, including Somerset Council, Bridgwater and Taunton College, and the wider Gravity Smart Campus, to deliver bespoke education and training programmes in the region, creating local jobs for local people.

Partnering with local and regional organisations, Agratas intends to deliver bespoke training programmes to realise the full potential of its investment, creating local jobs for local people.

Thousands of residents living near the site of the future gigafactory campus are set to receive a leaflet through the post this week, introducing Agratas to the community. In addition to providing insight into Agratas’ plans, the leaflet invites people to follow Agratas’ community WhatsApp channel for regular updates on the site’s progress.

Agratas also said that it’s taking a community-first approach, holding an introductory event in the coming weeks for locals to learn more about the company and meet the team.

Tom Flack, CEO, Agratas, said: “Our multi-billion-pound investment will bring state-of-the-art technology to Somerset, helping to supercharge Britain’s transition to electric mobility whilst creating thousands of jobs in the process.

“We care deeply about the communities we operate in, so it’s imperative to us that we work with, and listen to, our new neighbours as we build our factory in Somerset.

“That’s why we’ll be holding an event for local residents very soon, so we can share more about our plans and introduce our team to the community.”

Piling to establish the Agratas battery factory’s foundations is set to start in spring and construction will be completed in phases.