- EVE Energy is considering a £1 billion investment in the UK gigafactory near Coventry.
- Gigafactory could initially have 20GWh capacity, expandable to 60GWh.
Chinese EV battery manufacturer EVE Energy is reportedly considering investing £1 billion in a new gigafactory near Coventry, UK. The company supplies batteries to BMW and may initially invest £1.2 billion in the West Midlands gigafactory.
The gigafactory could start with a 20GWh capacity and expand to 60GWh, doubling Nissan’s Sunderland factory. It aims to cover battery research, manufacturing, testing, recycling, and logistics for the EV sector. Private funding may reach £2 billion, but significant UK subsidies are likely needed.
The project could create up to 6,000 jobs at the West Midlands Gigafactory. Several leading Asian battery manufacturers have shown interest in investing in it. The site in Coventry is the only location with planning permission for a large-scale battery manufacturing facility.
It would join automotive facilities operated by Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin Lagonda, and BMW in the West Midlands. EVE conveyed a “multi-billion pound commitment” in a recent letter to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
The government declined to comment on private companies’ commercial dealings. With 28,000 employees globally, EVE Energy started building its first European gigafactory in Debrecen, Hungary, in November. It has been supplying large cylindrical batteries to BMW for about 18 months.
These developments come amid Tata Group’s Agratas confirming plans for a gigafactory near Bridgwater and AESC receiving a loan for its gigafactory in Sunderland.