Tata to build EV battery plant in UK

LONDON, England: The BBC has reported that Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Motors is planning to build a multi-billion pound electric car battery plant in the UK, adding that Tata, the Indian conglomerate, would choose the Uk site over Spain.

Tata's head will reportedly fly to London next week to finalize the agreement to build the battery factory in Somerset, southwest England, which could employ 9,000 people, the BBC added.

A decision by Tata to choose the UK over Spain would represent a major coup for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is under pressure to ensure the country is increasingly attractive to carmakers.

Last week, finance minister Jeremy Hunt hinted at potential good news for the UK's EV battery manufacturing sector, stating, "Watch this space."

After major automakers, including Vauxhall owner Stellantis and Ford warned that post-Brexit trade rules risked making car-manufacturing unviable in the UK, Tata's investment would give a boost to the country's car industry.

The UK has fallen behind in the global race to build local battery capacity, threatening the future of its electric vehicle sector, while also facing the risk of tariffs on British cars under post-Brexit rules that will go into force in 2024.