Sunderland gigafactory to undergo massive expansion amid rise in EV demand
The UK’s Sunderland gigafactory is set to be expanded as the Chinese firm behind the plant looks to bolster its electric vehicle battery division.
The move will see capacity swell sixfold, as it increases from the 1.7-gigawatt hours (GHh) to 11GWh, when the site is expected to be opened.
Though the boss of the Chinese firm Envision, Zhang Lei, said that the factory’s annual capacity will eventually rise to 38GWh, the Financial Times first reported.
The project, which is in partnership with Nissan UK, will begin in 2024.
Lei added that the company, which is China’s largest wind turbine manufacturer, would “definitely” list its global battery business, as the push for electric vehicles picks up the pace in the run up to COP26.
“It could be soon,” he said. “It’s all on the board decision. We have a very international board.”
With an increasing number of European carmakers pledging to electrify their models by mid-century at the latest, Envision could benefit greatly from the move, as other Chinese battery firms look to expand in the continent.