HYVE, the UK’s largest independent battery-manufacturing facility, opened earlier this month in Sunderland.

The site is home to Hyperdrive Innovation, a leading designer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery technology — the company, which makes battery packs for electric vehicles and energy storage systems, has now invested £7 million in its manufacturing capabilities since moving to Sunderland in 2014.

The new facility will allow Hyperdrive Innovation to produce up to 30,000 battery packs annually and meet growing demand from global customers, while accelerating its new-product development and technology pipelines.

Hyperdrive (nnovation CEO Chris Pennison said: “We’re working with some of the most forward-thinking and innovative organisations in the world as their trusted electrification and energy storage partner.

“HYVE enables us to deliver a high-quality product, giving our customers the right energy at the right time.”

One of HYVE’s customers is JCB; Hyperdrive supplies the battery systems for the excavator manufacturer’s first electric model, which is now in production.

Bob Womersley, director of advanced engineering at JCB, said: “We have introduced E-TEC technology to give zero emissions at the point of use — with no compromise on machine performance. Using batteries from Hyperdrive Innovation, the new 19C-1E is the industry’s first fully electric mini excavator.”

Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “Hyperdrive is a terrific example of Sunderland’s world-class status in automotive, advanced manufacturing and the knowledge economy.

“Its phenomenal growth and global success will bring new opportunities and highly skilled jobs to the city, and help to solve urgent energy and environmental challenges world-wide.”

Support from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) played a key role in the early stages of Hyperdrive’s seven-year history.

The High Energy Density Battery Project — in partnership with Nissan and funded by a £9.7 million APC grant — enabled Hyperdrive’s latest battery technology to be brought to market.