- Independent Battery Factory: Volklec’s project represents a major leap as the UK establishes its own battery manufacturing capabilities.
- Production Focus:
- Energy Cells: Designed for storage and e-mobility.
- Advanced Lithium-Ion Cells: Targeted for vehicles, boats, and aircraft.
- Initial Operations:
- Located at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).
- Initial capacity is set at 100 megawatt-hours (MWh), with plans to scale to 1 gigawatt-hour (GWh) by 2026.
To put it into perspective, the long-range Tesla Model Y has a battery capacity of 75 kilowatt-hours (kWh). Therefore, the gigafactory's output will be sufficient to power approximately 13,333 Model Y vehicles.
Under the guidance of Phil Popham, the former CEO of Lotus, Volklec has ambitious plans to develop a 10 GWh gigafactory. This initiative comes as MPs draw attention to a ‘gigafactory gap’ in the UK market.
FEB boasts a robust production capacity in China, manufacturing 400,000 cylindrical cells daily. Through this partnership, Volklec aims to produce about 137,000 cells daily after scaling up, while also benefiting from improved raw material pricing.
Summary: Volklec is poised to enhance the UK’s battery supply chain with a new gigafactory under the leadership of former Lotus head, Phil Popham. This initiative signals a move toward manufacturing independence and aims to address existing gaps in battery production capacity. Get ready for an electrifying future ahead!
