UK Gigafactory Inbound?

[CMc1]

Teslarati:
Tesla may have a new Gigafactory coming to the United Kingdom, according to recent reports.

The UK Government is reportedly looking for a four-million square foot site to accommodate a new production facility for the electric car maker. The Department for International Trade (DIT) is heading the search for a plot of land that is large enough for a Tesla plant that will house a Research and Development facility, along with a production plant.


Tesla could build another Gigafactory in the UK: report


Property Week report: UK government seeks 4m sq ft for Tesla ‘gigafactory’

 

[CMc1]

Potentially Somerset

 

[Mr H]

Rochdale - the previously earmarked site, not sure it's big enough though.

 

[OfficialMark_H]

Potentially Somerset

I hope so

 

[AnthonyLR]

Elon says he needs loads of Gigafactories so it makes sense to have at least one in each of Tesla’s major markets. And we are the 5th/6th largest economy in the World.

Also we drive on the wrong side of the road which is a pain to swap manufacturing lines for - best we have our own one.

 

[JupiterMan]

I wonder if this would be a Gigafactory proper, or a tilburg style assembly plant to import partly built EU cars, assemble them, and avoid Brexit Import tariffs?

 

[AnthonyLR]

I wonder if this would be a Gigafactory proper, or a tilburg style assembly plant to import partly built EU cars, assemble them, and avoid Brexit Import tariffs?

Tesla likes to do it all under one roof. We are a big enough market for our own one. Remember we buy 20% of all German cars.

 

[Jam-Man]

The site of the former Royal Ordnance factory near Puriton in Somerset is being developed and the owners are reportedly trying to offer it as a viable site...

 

[Artiste]

Also we drive on the wrong side of the road which is a pain to swap manufacturing lines for - best we have our own one.

No, we drive on the correct side of the road. Everyone else drives on the wrong side

 

[AndrewGR]

I don’t know why you need a separate factory for RHD cars. The Mini factory at Cowley produces all the Mini variants on a single production line. Amazingly all the correct components come together at the right time to produce cars to meet customer orders.

 

[AnthonyLR]

I don’t know why you need a separate factory for RHD cars. The Mini factory at Cowley produces all the Mini variants on a single production line. Amazingly all the correct components come together at the right time to produce cars to meet customer orders.

Elon says it is a real pain for them

 

[Ant M3]

It will be a pain ...to be the most productive and to reduce costs any manufacturing plant would want the most simple options... hence why we get limited colours, no options (apart from spec level). Reducing the complexity reduces costs and errors

 

[stonecoldrmw]

I think this is a good thing most definitely. The fact that the government are involved is also good, given that they have set the UK target of 2035 for the banning of all petrol/diesel/hybrid vehicles. Hopefully it comes to fruition.

 

[John_L]

While I accept that the UK may be trying to tempt Tesla, I seriously doubt whether Tesla will be tempted by the UK.

Given the strong likelyhood of a no-deal Brexit and the on-going damage to the UK economy that would cause, the proximity of a Gigafactory elsewhere in Europe and the need to build right-hand drive cars especially for us, I can't see it happening.

 

[Ant M3]

While I accept that the UK may be trying to tempt Tesla, I seriously doubt whether Tesla will be tempted by the UK.

Given the strong likelyhood of a no-deal Brexit and the on-going damage to the UK economy that would cause, the proximity of a Gigafactory elsewhere in Europe and the need to build right-hand drive cars especially for us, I can't see it happening.

I can totally foresee Boris and the government giving some major tax and cash incentives to tempt Tesla

 

[John_L]

I can totally foresee Boris and the government giving some major tax and cash incentives to tempt Tesla

I can foresee him saying that it offered cash to Tesla. However, I can also foresee him blaming Tesla for the deal falling through, when it was never a serious, credible proposition in the first place.

 

[AnthonyLR]

While I accept that the UK may be trying to tempt Tesla, I seriously doubt whether Tesla will be tempted by the UK.

Given the strong likelyhood of a no-deal Brexit and the on-going damage to the UK economy that would cause, the proximity of a Gigafactory elsewhere in Europe and the need to build right-hand drive cars especially for us, I can't see it happening.

There is NO WAY there will be no deal, best to ignore the posturing on both sides. Both sides want the best deal they can negotiate.

If there is no deal (refer above to NO WAY) then the UK is putting a 10% tariff on car imports so Tesla would save 10% on each car building them here. In right hand drive.

We take 20% of German luxury cars. Tesla would be interested. And Boris will throw wads of cash at Elon to make it happen.

 

[pdk42]

And we are the 5th/6th largest economy in the World.

Down to 7th now - France moved above us in last 12 months (can't think why!):

 

[pdk42]

There is NO WAY there will be no deal, best to ignore the posturing on both sides. Both sides want the best deal they can negotiate.

If there is no deal (refer above to NO WAY) then the UK is putting a 10% tariff on car imports so Tesla would save 10% on each car building them here. In right hand drive.

We take 20% of German luxury cars. Tesla would be interested. And Boris will throw wads of cash at Elon to make it happen.

I think you're mistaken. This is worth a read:

The Brexit Blog: "It does not have to be like this". But it is

 

[pdk42]

While I accept that the UK may be trying to tempt Tesla, I seriously doubt whether Tesla will be tempted by the UK.

Given the strong likelyhood of a no-deal Brexit and the on-going damage to the UK economy that would cause, the proximity of a Gigafactory elsewhere in Europe and the need to build right-hand drive cars especially for us, I can't see it happening.

Agreed - and in general I think manufacturing is stuffed in the UK, esp motor manufacturing:

Brexit To Destroy U.K. Car Manufacturing, Lead To Cheaper Imported Cars, Increase Traffic Congestion

This is what Patrick Minford said (Minford was Thatcher's chief economic advisor). He's also a strong Brexiteer:

According to Minford, writing for The Sun tabloid newspaper, in 2016, “if we left the EU, it seems likely that we would mostly eliminate manufacturing, leaving mainly industries such as design, marketing and hi-tech. But this shouldn’t scare us.”