Today, Boris Johnson revealed his intentions to accelerate the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, bringing it forward by five years to 2030, as part of a £4bn ‘green industrial revolution.’
£1.3bn of investment has also been pledged towards electric vehicle (EV) charging points, as well as grants for EV buyers stretching to £582m to help people make the transition, whilst there is also nearly £500m for battery manufacture.
The government has insisted that it would collaborate with the UK motor industry to aid the mass production of electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries that power them, but the sector is already struggling to keep up with the surge in demand.
This questions whether the country will be able to meet deadlines and have a sufficient supply of electric vehicles in less than 10 years.
To support the expanding electric vehicle market – which will make up 1 in 5 of all car sales by 2026 – the creation of an onshore full-cycle supply chain and return of the investment ecosystem needs to be prioritised.
We have Kevin Brundish, the founder and CEO of the UK’s only full-cycle battery manufacturer AMTE Power, who is available for interview to discuss the new challenges facing the strained sector and what needs to be done in order to hit the new 2030 target.
Kevin Brundish, CEO at AMTE Power comments: “This is obviously fantastic news and accelerates the electrification of cars, which is a significant step in meeting the country’s climate change targets. For businesses like ours, which are targeting the development and supply of innovative battery cell products, this continued government support, which goes alongside financial support packages such as the Faraday Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and the Automotive Transformation Fund, will help to create the right investment environment for us to grow here in the UK. This accelerated transition to electrification will require an onshore supply chain for the electric vehicle’s most crucial component, the lithium ion battery, the creation and growth of which will also stimulate the wider economy and create much needed jobs. AMTE Power’s own manufacturing expansion plans are very much aligned with this onshore supply chain need.”
About AMTE Power
AMTE Power works with clients and partners to scale new battery cell technologies through to manufacture and supply. AMTE helps in the early stages of development and design for manufacture, and has developed advanced lithium battery cells for a range of end user markets.
AMTE Power have developed alternative chemistries, including a new range of cells aimed to provide UK EV manufacturers with security of supply chain and alternative cell options unavailable from large scale foreign providers.
AMTE Power working in partnership, have also completed the build of the world's first "smart cell" high voltage battery pack. AMTE’s cells show significant technological development over traction battery cells currently available. Offering almost an order of magnitude by providing information and characterisation of battery cells, whilst simultaneously eliminating more than half of a conventional BMS, the smart cell technology has the potential to revolutionise the next generation of automotive EV and HEV battery packs, with significant safety and weight advantages, it is especially attractive in the world of marine and aerospace as well as Electric Vehicles.
AMTE’s battery production facility has a unique cell manufacturing plant in Thurso, Scotland. It is a direct replica of the large-scale cell manufacturing process, supporting prototyping and development of new technology on schedule.