Volklec, a new UK manufacturing business which will manufacture batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) has been launched in Coventry. In an innovative UK technology collaboration, Volklec is working with
UKBIC, the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre and national manufacturing development scale-up facility, which also provides skills for the growing EV battery sector.
Volklec, working with UKBIC, will develop batteries to meet the attribute requirements of the UK automotive market, in particular the wide range of small volume and niche vehicle manufacturers. The company’s product development and rapid route to scale-up provides a critical component in the roadmap to giga-scale production. The collaboration will directly create jobs in the West Midlands and contribute directly to building world-class battery research and design, process and manufacturing capability in the UK.
Volklec founder Imran Khatri said: “Volklec has been many months and significant investment in the making, established to help the UK’s decarbonisation drive. As a proud investment in the UK, our initial focus is on the automotive industry, providing security of supply to the sector, then we intend to look at the broader electrification markets as well.”
UKBIC managing director Sean Gilgunn said: “We are delighted to welcome Volklec to UKBIC and to become its launch base here in the heart of the UK automotive industry. Our purpose-built facility is where businesses can develop their battery manufacturing processes at the scale they need to move to industrial production.
“This agreement marks the start of Volklec’s journey to create a battery with the potential to scale up to significant volumes in the coming years, and we are proud to support the business in the initial phase of its development. Manufacturing cells at volume is vital to ensuring the UK prospers from the energy transition towards ‘net zero’, and this agreement further demonstrates the unique value of UKBIC to the battery ecosystem.”