The announcement of the investment went some way to answering points raised two days earlier at a special summit on the future of electrification in the UK organised by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which represents the interests of the UK automotive industry. SMMT Electrified brought together 400 senior level representatives from automotive, charging infrastructure, battery supply chain, energy, fleets, logistics, government, and consumer groups to work out how the automotive industry, stakeholders and the government could join forces and realise a successful transition to zero-emission mobility.

An adequate charging infrastructure is central to the success of that transition, as is the localised gigawatt power to maintain charging and the production of batteries needed for EV production in the country.

According to the SMMT, over the last decade the automotive industry in the UK has invested £10.8 billion in EV production, and battery research and development (R&D). Over that time UK manufacturers have produced around 250,000 electric passenger cars, vans and trucks.