AESC starts production at UK battery gigafactory in Sunderland
Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) has launched its new electric vehicle battery gigafactory in Sunderland, UK, with production now underway.
The new facility has an annual capacity of 15.8 GWh and will manufacture lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles produced in the UK, including batteries intended for the new Nissan LEAF. According to the company, the plant builds on more than a decade of experience supplying EV batteries to the UK automotive industry.
AESC states that the site houses the UK’s largest clean room, where battery cells are manufactured under controlled conditions comparable to those of a hospital operating theatre.
Once fully operational, the Sunderland facility is expected to employ around 1,000 people. This represents a fourfold increase since AESC established its current operation at the Sunderland site in 2019. AESC reports that its total investment in the UK has exceeded GBP 1 billion over that period.
Jim Marley, Plant Director at AESC UK, said the new plant would support the electrification of the British automotive sector and strengthen the domestic EV supply chain.
“The launch of our new UK electric vehicle battery gigafactory represents a significant leap in battery technology. It will power the new Nissan LEAF and drive the electrification of the British car industry to a new level. Our original gigafactory was the first in Europe and the Plant 2 will anchor a resilient, globally competitive EV supply chain for the UK. ”
Earlier this year, AESC also supported the launch of the National Battery Academy, a collaboration between New College Durham and Newcastle University aimed at developing skills for battery manufacturing in the region.