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Agratas to Build Battery Plants in Somerset and Gujarat
Agratas, part of India's Tata Group, is constructing battery gigafactories in Bridgwater, Somerset, and Gujarat, India. The UK site will employ about 4,000 people and produce up to 12 million cells yearly. GB News reported statements on differing construction timelines and energy costs.
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Agratas is building battery plants in Bridgwater, Somerset, and Gujarat, India. GB News reported that the UK facility will employ around 4,000 people and produce between 9 million and 12 million battery cells per year. Karthik Selvan, Chief Procurement Officer at Agratas, stated that constructing a gigafactory takes 12 to 18 months in China, 24 to 36 months in India, and 36 to 48 months in the UK.
The company is commissioning its Indian factory first to apply lessons learned to the UK site six months later. Selvan said the cost of energy in the UK is 2.3 times the cost in China and India. He noted that the UK must focus on execution efficiency to offset these disadvantages when attracting investment.
GB News reported Selvan's comments at the SMMT International Automotive Summit 2026. He added that the UK lacks contractors skilled in integrating heavy civil engineering and process systems for battery plants.
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