New battery factory announced

The UK’s largest independent vehicle battery manufacturer will open in early 2019 in Coventry, creating around 90 new jobs, at a new, multi-million pound, high-tech facility that will produce batteries for future hybrid and electric vehicles.

The factory will be operated by a new joint venture named Hyperbat Ltd, combining the strengths of two of the UK’s leading companies, Williams Advanced Engineering and Unipart Manufacturing Group.

The new company and factory will combine world-leading expertise in manufacturing, logistics and safe, innovative, high performance vehicle battery technology from Unipart and Williams. The facility provides a secure future supply chain for UK-based car-makers as their vehicles transition to electric power, with the potential to provide similar solutions to developing marine and aircraft projects in future. 

Following construction, Hyperbat will begin production at the site in Coventry in early 2019. The launch customer for Hyperbat batteries is the Aston Martin Rapide E, which will be a limited production run.

Business secretary Greg Clark said, ‘Hybrid and electric vehicles will play a key part in Britain’s cleaner and greener future and this new high-tech facility – inspired by a government-funded Advanced Propulsion Centre project – will develop new vehicle battery technologies and create high-skilled jobs in Coventry. Through the Industrial Strategy, the government is building on our world leading strengths in auto manufacturing and clean growth, making the UK the go-to place for these technologies and boosting the economic opportunities presented by our transition to a low-carbon economy.’

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