Electric Car Battery Factory for Covenrty

[Lex]

Good to see some investment in new technology. I wonder if there'll be a R&D department for improving the tech.?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-56071246

[rebbonk]

I wonder about the future of the airport? Access around there might be interesting as well.

I'm really not convinced, batteries are not the nicest of things. I used to run an aircraft battery unit, they're not as clean as many people think.

But, time will tell.

[Lex]

The plans have got a thumbs up form the City Council. Just got to wait for the plans, so they can be waved through: https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-airport-gigafactory-plans-developed-19895004

[rebbonk]

I personally think it's a big mistake.

[Lex]

The government's got involved; this is going to go so well: https://solihullobserver.co.uk/news/business-secretary-says-coventry-airport-is-a-compelling-case-as-mayor-andy-street-shows-him-around-the-site-29315/

[Lex]

The inevitable planning permission has been granted: https://coventryobserver.co.uk/news/latest-warwick-district-council-gives-green-light-to-controversial-gigafactory-plan-on-coventry-airport-site/

[rebbonk]

Oh dear. Still, the council know far better than I do.


6,000 highly skilled and well paid jobs Not a hope in Hell!

[Lex]

Pushing mops around is a tricky business. ;)

[Lex]

WW2 explosives found at the site. Que jokes about battery technology bombing........

https://coventryobserver.co.uk/news/discovery-of-unexploded-second-world-war-bombs-on-coventry-airport-site-will-not-delay-battery-plant-plans-say-bosses-41067/

[rebbonk]

I have a feeling that this is a 'get out' clause!

[Lex]

The factory's going to be part of the Chancellor's new 'Investment Zones'. When it fails, maybe the government could sell the site to help pay its debts: https://leamingtonobserver.co.uk/news/west-midlands-gigafactory-set-to-be-one-of-the-uks-first-investment-zones-41351/

[rebbonk]

They are having a laugh. It will never create 6000 jobs and once the 'woke and ESG' brigade actually wake up they'll be having kittens and will stop it. Of course, by then we might have lost a valuable asset, but the idiots won't care.

[Lex]

A battery company up north is on the verge of collapse: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63457813

It doesn't bode well for the industry if it's in trouble at this stage.

[rebbonk]

The whole dream is crashing down around their ears. We aren't going to be abandoning internal combustion engines anytime soon. Princess nut-nut has a lot to answer for.

[rebbonk]

An interesting development on EV sales. OK, it's the US, but this country is unlikely to be radically different...

Jalopnik (https://jalopnik.com/dealers-are-turning-away-ev-inventory-report-1850771467)

[Lex]

When EVs have the range, same pruchase/repair price, and are as quick & easy to top up as fossil fuel vehicles (ie 5 minutes), I might think about buying one.

[rebbonk]

When EVs have the range, same pruchase/repair price, and are as quick & easy to top up as fossil fuel vehicles (ie 5 minutes), I might think about buying one.

I doubt I'll live long enough to see that, Lex. I reckon I have about 20 years left, and looking back over the last 20 years cars haven't really changed much, except get bigger, heavier and a lot more expensive.

[Lex]

I'm planning to buy a decent petrol car just before the ban comes in. Always fancied a Volvo, as they have a repuatation for lasting for donkeys years; is this still true?

[rebbonk]

Volvo went down the pan when Ford bought them and forced them into the Premier Auto Group with JLR amongst others. I believe they're now owned by Geely who are Chinese. - Caveat Emptor!

A friend in the trade reckons buying a couple of years before any UK ban comes in (I'm still betting it won't happen) and selling just after the ban at two years old with low mileage. He reckons you'll have had two years of free motoring!

[Lex]

Thanks for the tip - that's volvo off my list!

[rebbonk]

I'll always share what I know ;)

[margaret]

Not being driver myself, I still can't quite appreciate how incredibly ancient the internal combustion engine is.
I mean, we are talking about the fuel component either petrol or now battery, but really the basic technology of internal combustion engines goes back to 1880, and if you take the wheels off goes back to 1780, and Watt's separate condenser.

[rebbonk]

Like many things, Margaret, it's been tweaked and 'developed' over the years. However, there have been large developmental steps over the years but these have been bought up and suppressed by those who have a vested interest in not letting technology improve.

I was personally involved in the fitting of catalysers to exhaust systems. There was no need for it, but someone (country) had a vested interest in seeing them introduced.

There are numerous tales of ways of dramatically increasing vehicle mpg, but again, these have been bought up by those wanting to continue to see petrol sold at the current rate.

The world is corrupt!

[rebbonk]

Oh dear, how sad, never mind...


Sustainable battery developer collapses into administration

Innovative lithium battery developer Aceleron has appointed administrators, after struggling to secure further investment.

Based in Bromsgrove, Aceleron created patented sustainable battery technology as part of its mission to accelerate the shift to renewable energy.

It was co-founded in 2016 by Dr. Amrit Chandan and Carlton Cummins, with Chandan being recognised in the Science & Healthcare category of the Forbes 30 under 30 Europe list in 2017.

Aceleron has received more than £9.5m in investment over the years from names such as BGF, Mercia Asset Management, and Mobility 54 and has been endorsed by the Department for International Trade for its work in Africa.

Martyn Rickels and Simon Farr of FRP Advisory were appointed as joint administrators on September 12 as the company was no longer able to meet its financial obligations.

Administrators are now in the process of marketing Aceleron and its assets for sale. All 11 employees have been made redundant.

Simon Farr, director at FRP and joint administrator of Aceleron said: “Aceleron had sought further investment this year to support growth plans and further scale the business, however given the challenging investment climate, this was not forthcoming.

“We would encourage any parties with an interest in acquiring the business or its assets to make contact with us as soon as possible. We will continue to work with the impacted staff to make sure they access the appropriate support through the Redundancy Payments Service.”

source: Business Desk (https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/2077792-sustainable-battery-developer-collapses-into-administration)

Battery technology simply isn't increasing at the rate it needs to.

[Lex]

Potentially, the ban on fossil fueled cars is being pushed back. Short-term, it won't do the electric vehicle industry any favours, but the government will have longer to sort out the complete lack of charging infrastructure & electricity generation capacity: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66857551

[rebbonk]

I honestly don't believe it will happen, Lex. Common sense will eventually prevail and we'll come to a logical compromise. Unfortunately, all the dogmatic stupidity has halted development on ICEs which will leave us (yet again) behind the rest of the developed world! - Shooting ourselves in the foot, yet again! Thank you Princess Nut Nuts!

[Lex]

Looks like the factory's only going to happen with money from the far east. So much for a home-grown industry: https://www.coventryobserver.co.uk/news/battery-manufacturers-in-advanced-talks-about-coventry-gigafactory-investment/

[rebbonk]

It will be a big mistake. But It won't affect me, let these affected take up the cudgels. - I doubt they will, but by God, they should.

[Lex]

The knock-on from the failure to get battery factories going takes effect: https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/hundreds-local-jobs-risk-volta-27925263

[rebbonk]

I'm sure the new £250m facility at JLR could take a few of those affected. (Said very tongue in cheek)

[Lex]

The factory's going to be part of the Chancellor's new 'Investment Zones'. When it fails, maybe the government could sell the site to help pay its debts: https://leamingtonobserver.co.uk/news/west-midlands-gigafactory-set-to-be-one-of-the-uks-first-investment-zones-41351/

A boost for the government's green credentials - recycling announcements: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-67497046

[rebbonk]

Anyone notice Hunt's slight of hand with EVs this week? They are going to lose their road tax free status, and will attract higher levels of road tax for the first 5 years if they cost over £40,000. - That's going to hurt a lot of people!

[Lex]

Yes, I've heard something about that.

[Lex]

The WM mayor is casting around for cash for the project: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c51egzlvl4po

[rebbonk]

A battery factory will be a disaster.

I'll believe this when it happens.