Business committee opens EV battery supply inquiry after Britishvolt collapses

It came hours after electric car battery firm Britishvolt tumbled into administration and made the majority of its roughly 300 staff redundant.

The inquiry will probe the supply of batteries for electric vehicle manufacturing in the UK and the viability of production in the UK (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

Parliament’s business committee has launched an inquiry into UK electric vehicle battery production after the collapse of Britishvolt.

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee said the inquiry will probe the supply of batteries for electric vehicle manufacturing in the UK and the viability of production in the UK.

It came hours after electric car battery firm Britishvolt tumbled into administration and made the majority of its roughly 300 staff redundant.

The company, which had plans to build a gigafactory to make the batteries in Northumberland, hired administrators at EY after failing to raise enough cash for its research and the development of its Cambois site.

Administrators said they are considering options which could include the sale of certain assets and intellectual property.

This inquiry will look at what’s holding back the development of electric car batteries in the UK and what needs to be done to protect the thousands of jobs across the country in this important sector

Darren Jones, chair of the committee

The collapse follows months of trouble as the company struggled to raise enough money to stay afloat.

Recent turbulence in the UK electric vehicle sector also saw BMW announce in October that it would be halting production of the electric Mini at its Oxford site.

Darren Jones, chair of the committee, said: “The future of car manufacturing in the UK is dependent on our ability to make electric vehicles, and to be able to export them into the EU.

“That means we need local supplies of electric vehicle batteries – something we’re falling significantly behind on compared to other parts of the world.

“This inquiry will look at what’s holding back the development of electric car batteries in the UK and what needs to be done to protect the thousands of jobs across the country in this important sector.”