Operated by North East tech firm Hyperdrive Innovation, the new facility will be capable of producing up to 30,000 packs a year
North East clean tech innovator Hyperdrive is opening a major new battery manufacturing facility in Sunderland today, built to meet surging demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems.
Hyperdrive, a leading designer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery technology, has invested £7m in manufacturing capacity since moving to the site in 2014. Named HYVE, the facility will be capable of producing up to 30,000 packs annually, the firm said.
“We’re working with some of the most forward-thinking and innovative organisations in the world as their trusted electrification and energy storage partner,” said CEO Chris Pennison. “HYVE enables us to deliver a high-quality product, providing our customers with the right energy at the right time.”
Hyperdrive’s customers include JCB, which is set to use its batteries to power the world’s first electric excavator.
“We have introduced E-TEC technology to give zero emissions at point of use with no compromise on machine performance,” said Bob Womersley, advanced engineering director at JCB. “Using batteries from Hyperdrive Innovation, the new 19C-1E is the industry’s first fully electric mini excavator.”
Founded seven years ago, Hyperdrive’s early growth was supported by the Advanced Propulsion Centre, which provided a £9.7m grant towards the firm’s High Energy Density Battery Project. Conducted in partnership with Nissan, the project enabled Hyperdrive’s latest battery technology to be brought to market, helping it become the only North East firm named in the UK’s TechTrack100.
Last year, the compaby signed a £40m deal Foxlink Group, which allows the Taiwanese manufacturing giant to use Hyperdrive’s intellectual property to produce and sell its modular battery pack across Asia.
The state-of-the-art facility in Sunderland has been welcomed by the UK government as supporting its industrial strategy and driving progress towards its 2050 net-zero carbon target.
“We are committed, through our Industrial Strategy and Automotive Sector Deal, to establishing the UK as a world leader in battery technology and the HYVE facility will help play a crucial role in us delivering on this ambition,” said business minister Andrew Stephenson.
“Its customers include some of the world’s most recognisable brands, from major supermarkets to manufacturers of off-road vehicles, all of whom will benefit from having high-quality batteries, made right here in the UK.”
Source: businessgreen
