Bbc
It is planned to build a Coventry Gigafactory airport
Discussions took place with a battery company on the possibility of building a gigafactory in Coventry.
The Volklec manufacturing company has announced that it would begin to produce batteries in the United Kingdom Battery Industrialisation Center and finally hopes to build a gigafactory of 1 billion pounds sterling over the next five years.
Although no final decision was made about the location, talks took place with the municipal council of its construction at the neighboring airport of Coventry.
Plans for gigafactory – batteries producing electric vehicles – on the airport site were discussed during the best of the decade.
Councillorjim O’Boyle, member of the cabinet for jobs at the Coventry municipal council, confirmed discussions had taken place with Volklec
According to the latest figures obtained by the BBC, 25.25 million pounds Sterling of taxpayers are determined to create a gigafactory in the project of Coventry airport since 2021.
These funds came via the West Midlands Combined Authority and Coventry City Council – with 2 million additional sterling pounds promised by Coventry Airport Limited.
However, to date, no company has embarked on the project and there has been no visible sign of progress.
Advisor Jim O’Boyle, member of the cabinet for jobs on the municipal council, confirmed that talks had taken place with Volklec.
He said that a gigafactory at the airport “should occur” and added “I think that with good will, and good people, it will not take long before we can make an appropriate announcement”.
Asked about his hopes of obtaining investments from the central government to launch the project, he said: “I am very convinced that this will happen. The government grants grants to get there.”
Phil Popham, Executive Director of Volklec, said that it was too early to say where the company would strengthen its base
Volklec’s first batteries are expected to launch the production chain at UKBIC before the end of the year. About 100 jobs will be created initially and there will be hopes that 1,000 jobs will be created if a new gigafactory is built.
Phil Popham, Executive Director of Volklec, said millions of electric cells would be built under an agreement with the Chinese partner Far East Battery and would be used to feed everything, from road vehicles to marine technology.
He said he was “too early to say” if Coventry would be the location.
Find out more about Coventry Gigafactory plans
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