Northern Businesses Help Drive the Electric Vehicle Revolution
Businesses across the North of England are playing an increasingly important role in the UK’s transition to electric vehicles, with nine companies securing Government funding to support innovative projects across the automotive and battery industries.
The companies, which include Nissan’s major manufacturing plant in Sunderland, are among those benefiting from the Government’s £4bn Drive35 programme. The initiative aims to accelerate the electrification of the UK’s automotive industry while supporting investment, innovation and skilled jobs.
Officials from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade said the latest funding would help create and protect hundreds of jobs across the region.
Business Live is reporting that, among the businesses receiving support, is Gateshead-based Turntide Technologies, which has been awarded £17m for a project designed to accelerate the production of advanced flux motors. Meanwhile, Manchester-based Watercycle Technologies has secured £3m to demonstrate how lithium needed for electric vehicle batteries can be recovered from waste materials.
Other Northern companies benefiting from the programme include Themulon in Sedgefield, County Durham; Nexperia UK and Gravis Robotics in Stockport; Electra Commercial Vehicles in Brighouse; and Sheffield-based Xerode, Aftrak and Cybass.
Supporting the North’s manufacturing sector
Industry Minister Blair McDougall said the investment would help strengthen the UK’s position in the next generation of vehicle manufacturing.
“Britain invented the modern motor industry and we’re determined to ensure the next generation of vehicles are designed and built here too,” he said.
“This investment will secure skilled jobs, strengthen our manufacturing heartlands and help drive the reindustrialisation of Britain.”
For Turntide Technologies, the funding will support the expansion of its production and research and development campus in Gateshead. The company also plans to re-establish a dedicated component and validation facility in Cramlington, Northumberland, creating further opportunities for employment.
Turntide CEO Steve Hornyak said the project, known as Project Supreme, would be an important step towards increasing production of next-generation electric motor technology in the UK.
The project aims to use automation and reduce production costs to enable high-volume manufacturing of axial flux motors. These motors can help make electric powertrains lighter and more efficient, potentially supporting their wider use across both the automotive and industrial sectors.
Turning waste into battery materials
Watercycle Technologies is taking a different approach to supporting the electric vehicle industry by focusing on one of the most important components of an EV: its battery.
The Manchester company is using its £3m ReLiVE project to demonstrate how high-purity lithium can be recovered from circular, low-carbon sources.
Co-founder Dr Ahmed Abdelkarim said the project supports the UK’s ambition to develop a more secure domestic supply of battery-grade lithium and reduce dependence on imports.
By demonstrating that lithium can be produced from waste and other circular sources within the UK, the company believes its technology could contribute to a more resilient battery supply chain.
ReLiVE is also expected to help Watercycle move its technology beyond pilot operations and towards commercial-scale lithium production. The project represents an important step in demonstrating how lithium refining could be made more circular within the UK.
Building a future for electric vehicles
The investment highlights the growing range of businesses involved in the UK’s electric vehicle transition. While vehicle manufacturers remain at the heart of the industry, companies working on motors, robotics, battery materials and other technologies are becoming increasingly important to the wider EV supply chain.
The Government has said it remains committed to phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 as part of its efforts to reduce emissions and tackle climate change.
There have been reports that ministers could consider changes to the target amid concerns over the cost of living and the affordability of electric vehicles. However, a Government spokesperson has reiterated that it remains “committed to the 2030 phase-out date”.
With billions of pounds being invested in new technologies and manufacturing capabilities, businesses across the North are clearly positioning themselves to play a major role in the UK’s electric vehicle future.