Thread by @chrismiller_uk, So many questions on the this... https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-9046779/Electric-car-battery-giant-Britishvolt-plans-float.html For example, what technologies are [...]

Chris Miller

chrismiller_uk

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So many questions on the this...

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-9046779/Electric-car-battery-giant-Britishvolt-plans-float.html

Electric car battery giant Britishvolt plans to float in 2021

Britishvolt is raising funds to build its 'gigafactory' in Blyth, near Newcastle, creating up to 8,000 jobs by 2027. The firm has initial funding from about 25 private Emirati and Scandinavian...

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-9046779/Electric-car-battery-giant-Britishvolt-plans-float.html

For example, what technologies are they working with?

LG, Samsung, Panasonic and SKI have spent decades and billions on R&D refining chemistry and processes.

Are Britishvolt starting from scratch or partnering up?

And who are they going to sell to? Nissan? They currently don't have plans for new EV's at Sunderland. JLR? better bet as they have to ramp up EV volume in the the UK... But they already have battery supply contracts, and are developing on the those technologies.

Moving a mass production vehicle to a unknown and unproven battery technology and suppler is a massive risk, just look at the impact of PHEV issues this year.

Where is the money coming from? The company only came into existence last year... Is this the balance sheet of a company ready to drop £3.5 bills on a factory?

Even Tesla are working with battery suppliers on their cells and manafactuing, they don't have the knowledge to go it alone, and they know more about batteries than most... So who are Britishvolt working with?

They are very clear that they want government funds for this, but in my opinion they need to answer some serious questions before they are given anything.

@EmporersNewC you might be interested in this...

Also fronted by Lars Carlstrom who is fronted the Saab potential take over for Vladimir Antonov.. (thanks @NickGibbs for the reference)

And unsurprisingly Lars Carlstrom quits.. It was never a good look to have him involved. https://www.business-live.co.uk/manufacturing/man-behind-26bn-electric-battery-19465974

Man behind £2.6bn battery gigafactory plan quits after fraud conviction emerges

Lars Carlstrom, founder and chairman of Britishvolt, said he didn't wish to "become a distraction" from the plans for the factory in Blyth

https://www.business-live.co.uk/manufacturing/man-behind-26bn-electric-battery-19465974

Some more news, they are getting Siemens on board to help with manafactuing automation. Still no news of what technologies they will use or customers. https://www.theengineer.co.uk/britishvolt-siemens-automation-gigaplant-digital-twin/

Britishvolt gigaplant set for Siemens' manufacturing tech | The Engineer

Britishvolt has partnered with Siemens to accelerate the development and production of lithium-ion batteries at the company’s gigaplant in Blyth.

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/britishvolt-siemens-automation-gigaplant-digital-twin/

JLR look to be sniffing around a factory in Coventry for batteries. They currently use LG Chem for the I-Pace. The chances of them going all in on a brand new not tested battery supplier is low.

So who is going to but Britishvolt batteries? https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/jaguar-land-rover-heart-gigafactory-19619894

Jaguar Land Rover at heart of gigafactory plans - and it could be in Coventry

The creation of a factory to make electric car batteries is under discussion in the West Midlands mayoral election

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/jaguar-land-rover-heart-gigafactory-19619894

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