英国电池单元制造商Volklec已获得新的政府支持，以加速公司从近期动力电池生产向主权化、大规模制造转型。这笔公共与私人联合投资将支持Volklec在英国业务的快速扩张，产能将从最初的1GWh提升至10GWh超级工厂。该项目通过DRIVE35计划交付，该计划是一项耗资40亿英镑的方案，旨在支持英国汽车行业的创新、扩大生产和工业转型。
通过DRIVE35的新支持，Volklec将启动两个关键项目，以实现国内电池生产的工业化和规模化：
这些项目旨在将英国电池产量提升至工业水平，保障国家的长期电池供应链。通过增强国内制造能力，Volklec正致力于缩小创新与工业化之间的差距，支持包括汽车、国防和航空航天在内的关键制造部门对英国制造电芯日益增长的需求。目前国内产能的限制已成为英国工业的瓶颈，使高价值行业面临全球供应链波动的风险。
Posted on 16 Apr 2026 by The Manufacturer
UK battery cell manufacturer Volklec has secured new government backing to accelerate the company’s transition from near-term power cell production to sovereign, mass-scale manufacturing. The combined public and private investment will support the rapid expansion of Volklec’s UK operations, scaling from an initial 1GWh capacity to a 10GWh gigafactory.
Delivered by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) in partnership with Innovate UK and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), DRIVE35 is a £4bn programme designed to support innovation, scale-up and industrial transformation across the UK’s automotive sector.
Following new backing through DRIVE35, Volklec will ramp up two critical programmes designed to industrialise and scale domestic battery cell production:
In collaboration with the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) and AIH Group, Volklec will speed up development of its 1GWh domestic power cell manufacturing capabilities, facilitating earlier deployment of its British-made cells. With strategic support from Arcadis and the High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute (HSSMI), Volklec will also accelerate progress towards developing the UK’s first independent 10GWh battery gigafactory.
These programmes are designed to rapidly scale UK battery production to much-needed industrial levels and to secure the country’s long-term battery supply chain. By strengthening domestic battery manufacturing capabilities, Volklec is bridging the gap between battery innovation and industrialisation, and supporting the growing national demand for UK-made cells for the country’s most critical manufacturing sectors, including automotive, defence and aerospace.
The UK’s limited domestic battery manufacturing capacity has resulted in a severe bottleneck for UK PLC, leaving high-value sectors exposed to global supply chain volatility and restricted access to critical technologies.
Volklec’s mission is to close this critical gap in the supply chain. By combining proven, production-ready cell technology with the UK’s existing industrial infrastructure, we’re able to take a staged, de-risked approach to scale-up. This gives us a faster, more pragmatic route to domestic battery production, enabling us to deliver capability today while building towards the essential giga-scale manufacturing of tomorrow.
Imran Khatri, Founder, Volklec
Government-backed support like DRIVE35 represents a critical milestone in strengthening the UK’s industrial base and ensuring that battery production can be developed, scaled and retained onshore. Through sustained government backing and long-term strategic investment, it provides industries with the confidence and continuity required to unlock private capital, accelerate industrialisation and support the delivery of vital battery manufacturing programmes.
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