Britain wins crucial Brexit victory as new billion-pound electric car battery factory agreed
Britain secures crucial Brexit victory over Spain as manufacturing giant set to announce new multi-billion-pound electric car battery plant for Somerset, creating 9,000 jobs
- Jaguar and Land Rover owners will finalize details of the plant next week
The UK has won a crucial Brexit battle with Spain as a manufacturing giant is about to announce a new multi-billion-pound battery factory for electric cars in Somerset, which will create 9,000 jobs.
The chairman of Tata Group, which owns Jaguar and Land Rover, will fly to London next week to finalize details on the new plant.
They are also expected to meet the Prime Minister next week.
Motor industry experts have hailed the new plant as the UK’s most important car investment since Nissan came to Britain in the 1980s.
The new Bridgewater site, just off the M5, would create around 9,000 jobs.
The Bridgewater site in Somerset, where a multi-billion pound electric car battery factory will be built, providing 9,000 jobs
The chairman of Tata Group, which owns Jaguar and Land Rover, will fly to London next week to finalize the final details about the plant.
While the deal is yet to be signed, sources say the deal is now progressing to set up how the landmark agreement will be presented.
This new development comes after the Government has recognized the urgent need to produce batteries for electric vehicles in the UK to secure the future of the industry.
The Tata Group originally considered choosing Spain as the country to build the battery factory.
However, the expected decision to choose Somerset will be seen as a major achievement for the UK in the wake of Brexit.
Critics have also argued that the UK has struggled to attract investment in recent times, but with this new plant there is hope that it will open the door for further battery investment in the UK.
For Somerset in particular, access to electricity in the region, a skilled workforce and the British heritage of Jaguar Land Rover brands were cited as reasons for supporting the UK bid.
In March, Jeremy Hunt was urged to scrap a ‘curbside tax’ for electric car owners using public charging points.
Drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) using public charging stations pay 20 percent VAT on the electricity they use.
But the VAT rate charged on electricity when owners plug in their car at home is only 5 percent.
The inequality penalizes those who do not have their own driveway or garage, and often affects less affluent families living in terraced houses and flats.
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