Boris Johnson has urged Jeff Bezos, chairman of Amazon, to use his leverage on an electric vehicle (EV) company backed by the tech giant to build a gigantic new manufacturing facility in the UK.
Sky News learned that the prime minister brought up the topic of Rivian’s new factory location during a meeting Mr. Bezos in New York this week.
An official “reading” of their discussion on Downing Street, published earlier this week, made no reference to Rivian.
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The electric vehicle maker looked at a location near Bristol
Executives at the electric vehicle maker, which is seeking a listing on the US stock exchange, visited the UK earlier this month to continue their assessment of a site near Bristol.
Whitehall sources say the government is “desperate” to convince Rivian to build his new factory in the UK, arguing that it would send a hugely important message about the future of the country’s auto industry.
Rivian also has Ford among its investors and is expected to make a decision later this year on whether to give the green light to a factory in the UK or mainland Europe.
If the company went ahead in the UK, it would likely benefit from an extensive government support package.
Sky News announced this summer that Rivian had identified Gravity, a 616 acre campus near Bristol, as a possible location for a new manufacturing facility.
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Rivian’s biggest customer to date Amazon, which has ordered 100,000 electric trucks, production of which is scheduled to begin this year.
The government’s decision to ban sales of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2030 and hybrid vehicles by 2035 has accelerated the need for a massive shift in manufacturing capacity.
However, significant concerns remain that the provision of EV charging infrastructure will not keep pace with demand.
A government spokesman said: “The UK continues to be one of the best locations in the world to manufacture automobiles thanks to public and private investment in electrifying our supply chain, creating jobs and ensuring a competitive future for the sector.
“We talk to automotive companies and potential investors regularly.”
Rivian declined to comment.
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