New Delhi: According to a report, Tata is anticipated to declare on Wednesday that it has decided to locate its new EV battery plant in the United Kingdom. The choice was made following months of debate between a Somerset, England, and a Spain-based site, with the latter expected to supply a new line of electric Jaguar and land rover vehicles.
Tata’s move to establish an EV battery plant in the UK would be a significant win for the country’s automotive industry.
Furthermore, domestic battery manufacture will assist British automakers in adhering to post-Brexit trade regulations, which mandate that they source more components for electric vehicles locally to avoid tariffs on UK-EU commerce beginning in 2024.
According to reports, the UK government intends to give Tata subsidies for the battery project worth hundreds of millions of pounds. Although the decision to invest in battery manufacture in the UK is broadly applauded, several lawmakers, including Darren Jones, leader of the business committee, have emphasised the need for additional thought on the subsidy package necessary to guarantee the investment.
“The decision by JLR to invest in battery production in the UK is very welcome. We will want to reflect, however, on the subsidy package that was required to secure this decision,” Darren Jones, chair of parliament’s business committee, said.
Tata’s decision to locate its battery production in the UK will also support Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s administration, which has lofty net-zero targets. The Salamanca Group, a privately held merchant banking company, owns the potential plant site.
