Best site in the UK

The 530,000m2 site is the only available site in the UK with planning permission in place for a large-scale battery production facility with capacity for up to 60GWh per annum – enough to power 600,000 electric vehicles. It is perfectly placed as a pioneering centre of excellence for battery technology and manufacturing, located at the heart of the UK’s manufacturing industry.

It neighbours with the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) which is undertaking cutting-edge research in battery technologies, which is vital to the development of an electrified future.

The UK Centre of Electrification, including West Midlands Gigafactory, will act as catalyst for a fully integrated and globally competitive battery ecosystem, securing the UK’s high-tech electrified future.

Key facts

  • The only available UK site with planning permission for a Gigafactory
  • Closest to potential customer base supported by strong infrastructure
  • Central location offers advantages for the UK supply chain
  • Unrivalled access to the most highly skilled workforce in the UK for a gigafactory
  • The skills capital of the UK – nine universities, 220,000 students
  • Access to electrified logistics chain via DIRFT and the UK motorway network
  • Zero-emissions, sustainable transport network for employees
  • Adjacent to the world-renowned UK Battery Industrialisation Centre
  • Powered by 100% renewable energy

Skills capital of the UK

At the centre of the electrification skills capital of the UK and within an established network of more than 315 higher, further and vocational educational institutions. The West Midlands is rapidly becoming the centre of cell and battery research & development in the UK.

With access to 800,000 highly-skilled people, the UK battery industry’s workforce is on its doorstep. In addition, the UK Centre of Electrification has the strongest pipeline of future talent in the country with more than 210,000 students studying relevant degrees in universities across the West Midlands.

The electrification revolution represents the largest shift in industrial skills for the UK in a generation:

Universities in Coventry and Warwickshire have already created courses, such as Warwick Manufacturing Group’s Battery School, that will deliver the next generation of skills needed to transition to an electrified future.

Universities of Warwick and Birmingham are centrally involved in several key Faraday Institution research programmes.

The Automotive Skills Plan, led by the West Midlands Combined Authority, ensures that the region’s skills base complements the sector’s need to engage with technologies such as electrification. The Authority works closely with the automotive supply chain to ensure local talent is upskilled and reskilled to reflect the future needs of the industry.

Unique position

The Gigafactory proposal is part of Coventry and Warwickshire’s ambitious 10-year vision and investment plan, it is at the heart of an area that has been developed to create the right environment for the next generation of automotive investment, including opportunities for supplier co-location, the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, R&D technology parks, new office developments as well as retail and leisure opportunities.

The area around the site has benefitted from major infrastructure investment in recent years, totalling £455m in highways and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre.

Local network

It benefits from a strong transport infrastructure on road and rail with the opportunity to embrace a 100% electrified logistics chain.

Future employees will have access to a dedicated network of zero emissions, sustainable transport to and from the site, including Coventry’s fully electrified bus network, Very Light Rail development and 100% electric charging in the car parks.

The site has access to 100% sustainable, green energy via the National Grid and will be supported a microgrid of photovoltaic panels.