Time is running out for the future of UK car manufacturing unless urgent action is taken, a senior automotive industry figure with links to North East manufacturing has said.
Dr Andy Palmer, who helped launch the Leaf while chief operating officer at Nissan, told MPs the UK risks dropping out of the top 20 car producing countries in the world unless the electric vehicle supply chain is swiftly grown. Speaking at an inquiry held by the cross-party Business and Trade Committee, the former Aston Martin chief executive and now chairman of Slovakian batteries firm Inobat, suggested the government may need to look at "carrot and stick" incentives to get car makers to use UK-made batteries if the industry is to get off the ground.
His thoughts were echoed by Jeff Pratt, who leads the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) and is a former general manager at Nissan's Sunderland battery plant. Mr Pratt said: "We need to do something to turn investors heads to the UK, because, frankly speaking, they're not looking at the UK at the moment."
