Tata Group has officially confirmed that Somerset, will host the UK’s largest electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility, with a £4 billion investment in a brownfield site near Bridgwater.
This announcement solidifies the government’s previous declaration that the flagship battery factory would be built, marking the first official confirmation of the site location.
The new plant, to be built by Tata’s battery business, Agratas, will create 4,000 jobs directly and thousands more in the supply chain. Battery production is scheduled to commence in 2026 at the Gravity Smart Campus in Puriton, formerly a Royal Ordnance Factory from World War Two.
Agratas plans to produce 40GWh of battery cells annually, enough to supply approximately 500,000 passenger vehicles, contributing significantly to the UK’s automotive sector. Initially focused on supplying batteries for Jaguar Land Rover vehicles, the factory aims to diversify its customer base and expand into commercial energy storage.
Local stakeholders, including the Somerset Chamber of Commerce and Bridgwater and Taunton College, have welcomed the development, highlighting the economic opportunities and the region’s expertise in large-scale infrastructure projects like Hinkley Point C. The factory’s establishment is seen as a crucial step in driving the UK’s transition to electric vehicles and establishing the country as a leader in green energy technology.
