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Electronics Production |

Williams and Unipart form new battery manufacturing JV

Formed as a JV by Williams Advanced Engineering and Unipart Manufacturing Group, Hyperbat will open in early 2019 in Coventry, creating around ninety new jobs, at a new facility that will produce batteries for future hybrid and electric vehicles.

The new company – Hyperbat Limited (Hyperbat) – and factory combine expertise in manufacturing, logistics and high performance vehicle battery technology from Unipart and Williams. The facility aims to provide a secure future supply chain for UK-based car-makers as their vehicles transition to electric power, with the potential to provide similar solutions to developing marine and aircraft projects in future, a press release reads. Following construction, Hyperbat will begin production at the site in Coventry in early 2019. The launch customer for Hyperbat batteries is the Aston Martin Rapide E, which will be a limited production run. “We are pleased to be working with Unipart, growing a new capability for our sector in this country for hybrid and electric vehicles, securing the on-shore supply chain for the long-term. Hyperbat will also deliver into high performance battery applications beyond automotive, delivering innovative technology and high value manufacturing, as well as jobs for the next generation workforce,” says Craig Wilson, Managing Director of Williams Advanced Engineering, in the press release. Carol Burke, Managing Director of Unipart Manufacturing Group, adds: “We are delighted to be working with Williams Advanced Engineering on this venture. We have developed an advanced manufacturing facility on our Coventry site – the very site in which the British auto industry produced some of its first petrol vehicles. It is fitting that this site will now provide clean, sustainable electric batteries that can be tailored to individual auto manufacturer’s requirements and available to a wide range of companies seeking to introduce electric vehicles into their ranges.” The joint venture was inspired by H1PERBAT – an Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)-funded, Williams Advanced Engineering-led consortium of organisations, set up in 2017, which also includes Unipart, Coventry University, Aston Martin and others. It was established to build a high performance, low volume, flexible battery capability in the UK. The joint venture will also draw on work undertaken by H1PERBAT, which also looked at second life options for car batteries, enabling a long-term sustainable future for the products in both the vehicles and beyond. A site opening event will take place in early 2019 with production at the facility getting under way in Q1 2019.

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March 15 2024 2:25 pm V22.4.5-2
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