Somerset confirmed as site of Britain's biggest EV battery factory

Somerset is set to be the home of Britain's biggest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility or 'gigafactory', putting the South West region firmly at the epicentre of the country's EV revolution.

Agratas, which is the global battery business of Tata Group, confirmed that the 615 acre Gravity Smart Campus near Bridgwater has been chosen as the site of the new giant battery making factory.

READ MORE: Could Britain soon get its first gigafactory?

Gravity, anchored by the 40Gwh Agratas gigafactory, is a zone poised to be a catalyst for economic uplift across the South West and a platform, which will offer home-grown advanced battery manufacturing.

It is the UK’s first strategic commercial smart campus and is key to transitioning to a net zero economy.

"It’s impossible to overstate how important this is for the UK," said chairman Martin Bellamy, chairman and Tom Curtis - Gravity's co-founders.

"It is the catalyst to kick-start the electric vehicle revolution in the UK. As the biggest battery gigafactory in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe, its transformational impact will be enormous.

"We look forward to working closely with Agratas, Somerset Council, Bridgwater & Taunton College and wider stakeholders to deliver this gigafactory as part of the Gravity Smart Campus."

The decision represents a £4 billion investment into Somerset, which will directly create 4,000 new jobs and thousands more in the wider supply chain.

Councillor Bill Revans, the leader of Somerset Council, noted: "This is momentous for the county, its economy and for future generations.

"It’s about seizing an incredible opportunity to be at the heart of the UK’s green energy industry that will create thousands of highly-skilled, well-paid, green jobs."

Andy Berry, the principal and CEO of Bridgwater and Taunton College, added: "I’m delighted by this announcement and what it means for our community and the wider region.

"We’ve got a great deal of experience in workforce development - big infrastructure projects like Hinkley Point C.

"…We can draw on that experience. We’ve been here and we’ve done this and Agratas can be tremendously confident in our community and in our workforce."