Britishvolt’s Failure Reinforces UK Car Sector’s Existential Dread

The writing was on the wall when Britain finalized its break from the European Union: The UK sorely lacked the battery manufacturing capability that would be absolutely critical to the auto industry’s future, leaving the country’s already declining car sector in a make-or-break bind.

The failure of Britishvolt Ltd. to get past the stage of developing prototypes for an industry still vital to the UK’s economy casts further doubt on its prospects in the global race by nations to become self-sufficient in greener technology. The three-year-old startup filed for Britain’s equivalent of bankruptcy on Tuesday, letting go of all but a couple dozen employees.