Jaguar Land Rover could have shifted production from UK without £380m battery subsidy, officials warned
Summary
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) might have moved its car production out of the UK without a £380 million government subsidy given to its battery-making sister company, Agratas. The government warned that without this help, JLR could have shifted its production to be closer to a battery factory in Spain, risking many UK jobs.Key Facts
- JLR is the UK’s largest car manufacturer, employing 33,000 people.
- Agratas, a battery company owned by Tata Sons (which also owns JLR), received a £380 million subsidy to build a large battery factory in Somerset.
- The planned investment for Agratas’s factory increased to £5.2 billion from £4 billion initially announced.
- Officials warned that without this subsidy, Agratas might build its factory in Spain, which could lead JLR to move car production closer to the battery plant there.
- Moving production could cause significant job losses in the UK car industry and supply chain.
- JLR denied suggesting it planned to move vehicle production to Spain.
- The UK Competition and Markets Authority questioned whether the government’s concerns about JLR leaving the UK were fully supported by evidence.
- JLR has been slower than some competitors in launching electric vehicles, delaying its electric Range Rover and Jaguar models.
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