16 June 2021,
14:30
What action is needed to support a UK supply chain for
battery electric vehicles?
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) will be holding its one
off evidence session on Technological Innovations
and Climate Change: Supply Chair for Battery Electric
Vehicles.
The session will be focusing on what action the Government must
take to attract gigafactories (factories which make batteries for
electric vehicles) to the UK, hearing from those in industry on
the challenges and opportunities.
It has been estimated that at least eight gigafactories will need
to be operational by 2040 to meet anticipated demand for electric
vehicles resulting from the Government’s plans to ban the sale of
new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. Construction of the UK’s
first gigafactory has been announced, which is to be sited in
Blyth, Northumberland.
The growth of this industry in the UK also has the potential to
create thousands of new jobs, set the UK well on the way to
achieving net zero carbon by 2050, and provide a basis for a new
green economy.
Witnesses from 14:30
- Isobel Sheldon OBE, Chief Strategy Officer, Britishvolt
- Professor David Greenwood, Professor of Advanced Propulsion
Systems and CEO of the WMG centre High Value Manufacturing (HVM)
Catapult at the University of Warwick
Witnesses from 15:30
- Stephen Gifford, Chief Economist, Faraday Institution
- Vikki Roberts, Head of Supply Chain Strategy, Development and
Control, Johnson Matthey Battery Materials
