New battery gigaplant could power future of electrified road transport

The developer behind Britain’s first lithium-ion battery gigaplant for the automotive and renewable energy sectors has stepped up its bid to begin construction in South Wales.

Britishvolt said the factory in Bro Tathan would be one of the largest ever industrial investments and could power future electrified transport, in cars as well as HGVs.

The start-up also said it had appointed a project director, Ray Macera, who most recently oversaw the Gestamp pressing facility that supplies Jaguar Land Rover’s Nitra plant in Slovakia.

Orral Nadjari, Britishvolt chief executive, said: “Our mission is for the gigaplant to begin supplying the automotive and energy industries with world-class batteries, powering the electric revolution.

“We already have momentum, working and deploying capital expenditure early in the process so that we can accurately assess the level of UK government support that will be required to enable us to move the project forwards.

Macera added: “Building a gigaplant in Wales is a giant task but with such a focused mission and such strength in depth with the pedigree of Britishvolt’s appointed partners we are already off to a strong start.”