Carl Perrin, CEO of the Institute for Clean Growth and Future Mobility at Coventry University, believes Tata Group’s decision to invest £4bn in a new electric car battery factory in the South West is a welcome boost, but needs to be the starting block when it comes to accelerating supply chain capacity.

The former Rolls-Royce Head of Technology is adamant that we need sustained investment in ensuring domestic firms can commercialise the emerging technologies they are developing, not to mention supporting SMEs to make the skills transition to electrification roles.

It is a train of thought that will be at the forefront of discussions this week when Cenex-LCV and Cenex-CAM gets underway at UTAC Millbrook (6th-7th September).