UK’s first gigafactory site ‘attracting the attention’ of Elon Musk

The world’s richest man and Tesla boss Elon Musk could be tempted to swoop in with an offer to buy the plot of land pinpointed for Britain’s first gigafactory  – a site producing batteries for electric vehicles on-scale. That’s according to an an industry source who exclusively spoke to Express.co.uk but wished to remain anonymous. The 3.8 million plant, set for Blyth in Northumberland, appeared to be on the brink of collapse just last week after reportedly failing to secure a £100 million advance on pre-promised Government funding. But a silent investor is said to have saved the company from the edge with a cash injection. Despite the gigafactory’s future being somewhat secured for now, the world’s richest man may be keeping tabs on its movements. Mr Musk has previously signalled his interest in setting up a gigafactory in Britain in a move that could bring a huge boost to the UK’s EV market.Given the soaring interest in one of Europe’s best potential sites for a gigafactory in recent weeks, the Tesla CEO may once again turn his head towards the UK. A market analyst, speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk under the condition of anonymity, said: ‘In light of what is going on…Tesla potentially is looking at the site, multiple people are looking at the site.”If you have got the crown jewels for a gigafactory, it is inevitable that companies will be looking to buy it.  It is understood in the market that, since the depreciation of the pound and the dollar, US private equity is starting to look at the business and various technology.”  Musk could be interested in Britishvolt’s site for the UK’s first gigafactory (Image: Getty/Britishvolt) A gigafactory is a site which produces batteries for EVs on scale (Image: Getty )While Britishvolt cannot confirm which potential investors or buyers have an interest in the much-sought-after site, the firm does admit that there will “always be interest in the plot”. Ben Kilbey, Britishvolt director of communications, told Express.co.uk: ‘Company policy is to never respond to market speculation. What is factually correct is that we have the best Gigasite in the UK, and possibly Europe, and for that very reason there will always be interest in the plot.”It’s like having the best house on the street, getting constant attention. We remain determined and resolute to deliver the Britishvolt Gigaplant for the people of Northumberland and indeed the people of the UK.”Now is not the time to be second-guessing the energy transition, now is time for private/public sectors to unite and ensure a clean air future for all and the employment of the future.’And if Mr Musk is serious about putting in offer, then it appears he may have a tough time convincing Britishvolt to sell up following the last-minute funding the firm received last week, which signalled a major boost for the company.READ MORE: Sunak urged to issue ‘Norway-style’ windfall tax to cut energy bills Britishvolt’s site is based in Blyth, Northumberland (Image: Britishvolt) Musk chose Germany over the UK as a site for a Tesla gigafactory (Image: Getty )Mr Kilbey told Express.co.uk last week: “The cash injection allows us to bridge to larger, more strategic investments to ensure the successful delivery of a domestic UK battery cell industry. There is an outpouring of support (for Britishvolt) from the general public and private industry, more and more investors are coming forward on the back of the recent news as they see the strength of our business and our technology.”And while Birtishvolt may not want Mr Musk infringing on its own plot of land, Mr Kilbey has previously told Express.co.uk that he would welcome Tesla into the market, should the EV giant wish to enter the UK’s gigafactory landscape.  He said: ‘Tesla coming to the UK would be a huge boost for the country and its roadmap for electrification. If we look at recent intelligence from the Faraday Institution, the UK will need around 100GWh [200GWh by 2040] of battery output in the UK by 2030 to satisfy demand. ‘A brand like Tesla coming to the UK would boost employment and show the world that the country is open for business post-Brexit. Britishvolt would love to see companies such as Tesla joining the race to build UK Gigaplants. At full capacity, Britishvolt will deliver around 40GWh, towards the end of the decade. That means there’s another 60GWh [by 2030] of capacity required.’DON’T MISSRare ‘blood moon’ caught on camera before it disappears for years [REPORT] Ukraine dealt blow as 1,300 Musk’s SpaceX satellites sent offline [REVEAL] Golden asteroid worth £9 quadrillion targeted by NASA [INSIGHT]  Aston Martin’s former boss is reportedly interested in the Blyth site (Image: Getty )Mr Musk’s interest in a gigafactory site in the UK has been previously reported – but the world’s richest man had instead opted for Germany instead due to ‘concerns’ over Brexit. But he is not the only automotive titan that is said to be interested in the Blyth site. Also reportedly tempted to pull a move is Aston Martin’s former head honcho Andy Palmer. Mr Palmer, who chairs a Slovakian business called InoBat, reportedly held talks with Britishvolt’s potential administrators EY earlier this month, although Mr Kilbey has ruled out any kind of takeover. While InoBat had earmarked another British site at Teesside as one of two locations to build an EV battery-making factory, it reportedly believes the Blyth site could be the better option. A source told the Telegraph: ‘If Blyth became available, Blyth is potentially a better site.’