UK battery ecosystem "going from strength to strength" - new APC report

Mon 07 November 2022 View all news

A report from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) says the UK is in strong position to lead future battery cell innovation for the automotive sector. The latest insights report - Promising battery cell innovations for the UK automotive sector - provides a qualitative assessment of the UK’s capability in automotive battery developments that have the highest potential of being commercialised globally in the near term.

The report's headlines say:

  • The automotive sector will dominate future battery demand, driving battery innovation
  • Three broad clusters of batteries are emerging in the global automotive industry
  • Eight promising cell innovations are close to market, offering significant global opportunity
  • The UK has strategic advantage in development of silicon dominant anodes and sodium ion batteries
  • The UK needs to attract cathode and anode manufacturers to support innovation ecosystem.

APC’s projections show that UK automotive domestic battery demand is now predicted to be 98GWh by 2030. This is based on a major switch to battery electric vehicles, with around 1.2 million domestically-produced cars and vans – and battery electric being the predominant propulsion mode made in UK assembly plants by a significant margin.

Batteries remain the single biggest cost element in the drive to electrification, but to get the cost down to affordable levels the sector must innovate across the whole spectrum; improving efficiency, reducing vehicle weight, and boosting fast-charging with more and better infrastructure. The funding announced today will help to achieve that.

The Government recently announced £211 million of funding support for battery research through the Faraday Battery Challenge to help continue world-leading innovation in zero-emission technology for the automotive sector and beyond. 

APC's Chief Executive Ian Constance said:  “This funding represents a boost to the vibrant UK battery ecosystem, which is going from strength to strength. It’s vital that even in times of change, we continue with investment in research and development, now more than ever as the sector  moves towards decarbonisation at pace.

"Not only are we now scaling and building an industrial supply chain through mechanisms like the Automotive Transformation Fund, but we have strength and depth in the core electrification systems through organisations like Driving the Electric Revolution, Innovate UK, the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, Faraday Institution, and the Faraday Battery Challenge.”

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