Midlands-based battery manufacturer Volklec has announced a significant milestone in its journey toward industrialization and scale-up.
After an extensive global evaluation led by its technology and manufacturing team, Volklec has secured an exclusive licensing agreement with Far East Battery (FEB), a leading Asian battery supplier. Since 2009, FEB has been at the forefront of battery design and manufacturing, delivering energy storage solutions and EV power worldwide.
In a groundbreaking technology and knowledge transfer agreement, Volklec will manufacture advanced lithium-ion batteries in the UK. Production is set to begin later this year at Volklec’s launch facility within the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC). To ensure a high-yield, high-quality manufacturing line, a team of specialists from FEB in China will support the setup in Coventry ahead of production.
Volklec will produce two specifications of advanced lithium-ion 21700 cylindrical battery cells. The first to enter production will be a proven energy cell—a compact cylindrical cell utilizing NMC chemistry—designed to serve the broad e-mobility and energy storage sectors.
This is followed by the launch of an innovative power cell aimed primarily at servicing the High Value Manufacturing sector, in particular specialist applications within automotive, aerospace, marine and off-highway.
Volklec will be utilising UKBIC’s current 100MWh line to produce the energy cell, with an additional 1GWh production line to be installed by the end of 2026 to manufacture the power cell. Volklec’s strategic roadmap includes a dedicated 10GWh gigafactory representing an investment of more than £1bn and creating more than 1,000 highly skilled jobs by the end of the decade.
Volklec’s management team is composed of highly experienced executives, leading a group of technical specialists based at the company’s launch facility at UKBIC. At the helm is Executive Director Phil Popham, a seasoned automotive industry leader with a distinguished career overseeing Jaguar Land Rover’s global operations and serving as CEO of both Lotus Cars and luxury yacht manufacturer Sunseeker.
Popham stated: “There is an urgent need for new independent manufacturers to secure the battery supply chain in the UK. The electric revolution in transport and mobility is one of the greatest transformations of our time, and the British start-up scene is thriving—from motorsport to heavy-duty off-highway applications and everything in between. However, a significant gap remains in the supply chain. The UK excels in specialist and high-performance sectors that require a reliable and high-quality battery supply. Our mission is to empower these innovators and help them succeed.”
Volklec’s executive team includes key commercial, technical and EV business specialists with deep experience in the battery, manufacturing and electrification sectors. Ron Lee is Chief Technical and Manufacturing Officer, having formerly served as Global Director of Powertrain Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover; Shakeel Meharban is Chief Commercial Officer, having formerly served as Managing Director for the Automotive Business Unit of McLaren Applied and Nikki Rimmington is Head of Strategy having formerly served as Strategy Development Director for InoBat Auto.
Established to play a pivotal role in the journey towards decarbonisation, Volklec aims to be a catalyst in powering the transformation of the UK into a global leader in the electric revolution with its fast to market, low-risk design and delivery strategy. Through its disruptive approach, Volklec bridges the gap between the established supply lines to large OEMs – who often have dedicated gigafactories lined up – and the lower-volume niche players seeking surety of supply.
