The UK should become a world-class centre for battery R&D and production, the country’s newly-installed prime minister Boris Johnson has told legislators.
Johnson said the development of battery technology is among key national priorities as his administration prepares to leave the European Union on 31 October.
Johnson, who succeeded Theresa May as PM on 24 July, told the House of Commons: “We will be the home of electric vehicles— cars, even planes, powered by British-made battery technology being developed right here, right now.”
In a wide-ranging speech that was short on detail, Johnson predicted the UK would become “the seedbed for the most exciting and most dynamic business investments on the planet”.
Earlier this month, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) called for “giga-scale battery production” to be launched in the UK, as the company revealed plans to manufacture a range of new electric vehicles in England.
JLR said the plans for its Castle Bromwich plant near Birmingham marked “the next significant step in delivering on the company’s commitment to offer customers electrified options for all new Jaguar and Land Rover models from 2020”.
