UK startup Volklec will produce EV batteries with Chinese tech, using licensed technology from China’s Far East Smarter Energy Co (FEB). FEB will offer engineering support and supply chain access to help Volklec scale up at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry, a government-backed facility.
European battery firms have faced challenges in developing viable chemistry and securing funding, with past failures like Britishvolt and restructuring at Sweden’s Northvolt. Experts believe more European companies will turn to Chinese expertise to scale.
Volklec plans to start producing “energy cell” batteries for e-scooters, e-bikes, EV chargers, and energy storage in late 2025, with “power cell” production for EVs beginning in the second half of 2026. UK investment firm Frontive Group has committed £20 million ($25.3 million) for the energy cell production, while Volklec seeks £80 million for a 1 GWh power cell production line.
Volklec’s executive director, Phil Popham, emphasized the company’s strategy of leveraging proven technology to quickly enter the market, assuring customers and investors of reliability.
