Swedish EV developer Uniti has announced plans to establish an electric vehicle pilot production plant in the UK. The facility, located at Silverstone Park, will produce the Uniti One electric car, and will serve as a blueprint for the globally licensed digital assembly plants, which can be located around the world. Uniti expects to have the pilot facility operational by 2020.
“The UK’s approach to vehicle production, with its focus on light-weighting and innovation in advanced materials, is an ideal model for electric car production globally,” says Uniti CEO, Lewis Horne. “It’s no secret that some of the world’s best vehicle engineers are clustered around Silverstone. When coupled with a government receptive to our ambition and goals, we couldn’t find a better home to establish our pilot production facility.”
Uniti has been working with property investment and development company MEPC at Silverstone Park to develop a vision for the pilot plant, with further details to be announced soon. The facility will be the first of a series of planned initiatives that Uniti hopes will enable it to establish itself in the UK. The Swedish company is aiming to become a major player in the UK’s EV market over the next few years.
The Swedish car maker has already engaged a team of engineers at an R&D center in Northamptonshire, while fostering partnerships with local companies such as KW Special Projects (lightweight structure and additive manufacturing), Danecca (EV powertrain), and Unipart (global supply chain). Uniti is also setting up an office in London to ensure capital is raised for UK operations.
“The future of Great Britain is electric and autonomous,” says Sally Povolotsky, Uniti’s vehicle development director. “Through my work with Silverstone Technology Cluster ACES, I can attest this is an exciting time for the UK automotive industry, and one of rapid growth and innovation. Once the Uniti pilot plant facility is fully operational, we can take this blueprint global.”
Uniti will unveil its production models in late 2019 and deliver vehicles to pre-order customers throughout northern Europe shortly thereafter.
You can read E&H Vehicle’s interview with Lewis Horne in the January 2018 issue.
