Council backs Jaguar Land Rover's electric car production bid

JLR's Whitley site in Coventry has already been earmarked for further investment

Coventry City Council has backed calls from Jaguar Land Rover for government support for plans to build electric cars in the city.

The firm, based in Coventry, said it wanted to make the UK a "global centre of excellence" for battery research.

However, it said it needed support from government to improve infrastructure and power supplies.

Coventry City Councillor Jim O'Boyle said it was important the government "stepped up to the plate".

"We want to be at the forefront of this new technology, we don't want it to go abroad," he said.

JLR's challenge comes after Nissan announced it would produce two new models at its Sunderland plant, backed by assurances from the government over investment in research and development.

Jaguar unveiled its I-pace electric concept car earlier this month

Mr O'Boyle, in charge of regeneration in Coventry, said the problem faced by JLR was due to the large power capacity needed to produce the latest electric vehicles and their batteries.

He said any solution would involve "putting a lot of cables in the ground".

Already Britain's largest carmaker by volume, JLR said it hoped to double production to one million vehicles a year.

JLR's Whitley site has already been earmarked for further expansion, but if the firm's latest plans come to fruition, Mr O'Boyle said they would need more space and a new site.

He said that could be land identified as part of the £250m Gateway business park scheme on greenbelt land around Coventry airport, which was vetoed by then Communities Secretary Eric Pickles last year.