A £600m BMW electric car plant in the UK has been announced that will position the country at the forefront of the global EV supply chain.
The BMW electric car production project will create thousands of highly skilled jobs in the UK and will see the German car manufacturer transform its existing Mini plant in Oxford to produce next-generation electric models.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak believes the major BMW announcement marks a significant milestone for EV manufacturing in the UK.
He said: “BMW’s investment is another shining example of how the UK is the best place to build cars of the future.
“By backing our car manufacturing industry, we are securing thousands of jobs and growing our economy right across the country.”
How will the electric car plant benefit the UK?
BMW electric car production has skyrocketed in recent years, doubling between 2021 and 2022.
In 2021, BMW sold 103,855 battery electric vehicles, whereas in 2022, the company sold 215,755 across its BMW and Mini brands, a growth of 107.7%.
Last year marked another landmark achievement for the company, selling its 500,000th fully electric vehicle at the end of 2022.
The company is targeting full electric models to account for at least 20% of overall sales by 2024, with the BMW electric car plant in the UK representing a major step towards achieving this.
The Oxford Mini site will be updated with new production lines, a body shop, and areas for battery installation for two next-generation electric models of the Mini Cooper and Mini Aceman SUV.
BMW, which has owned Mini since 1996, says the plant will create 4,000 highly skilled jobs to boost the economy and the UK’s electric ambitions.
The Mini is a British classic.
So it’s fantastic to see @BMWGroup backing its future here with a £600 million investment 🚀
This is a major vote of confidence in our car sector which will support high-quality jobs and grow our economy.https://t.co/38EdCEeq2F
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) September 11, 2023
The UK’s multi-billion-pound EV strategy
Over the last two years, the UK has attracted over £6bn in investments from the EV sector, helping to support the government’s automotive plans.
Just last week, Stellantis, who manufacture Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen, and Fiat vehicles, announced a £100m investment to make their Ellesmere Port site their first in the world dedicated solely to electric vehicle production.
Other investments include:
- Tata is funding over £4bn to create a new gigafactory to develop EV batteries;
- Nissan and AESC are spending £1bn to develop an EV manufacturing hub in Sunderland; and
- Ford will invest £380m to make Halewood their first EV components site in Europe.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: “The UK has a proud history of manufacturing, and BMW’s investment is a huge vote of confidence in this country as a global leader in electric vehicles.
“And following Stellantis beginning electric vehicle production at Ellesmere Port, just last week, to Tata’s gigafactory, this industry is motoring, creating thousands of jobs and powering our green transition.”
