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McLaren Automotive CEO Michael Leiters has said that the UK now has a “golden opportunity” to be the “global home of electrified supercar manufacturing”.
He added that this is provided it can future-proof its supply chain and attract investment in critical technologies.
Speaking at the FT Future of the Car Summit in London, Leiters said that the UK must attract investment in key areas including power-dense, high-performance battery technology.
He added the technology, which is crucial for delivering a fully-electric driving experience that exceeds that of today’s combustion engine supercars, would be ready within the decade.
The comments coincided with Leiters announcing a multi-year partnership with UK engine supplier Ricardo to manufacture its next-generation of McLaren-designed high-performance V8 engines at the heart of its hybrid powertrains.
McLaren has said that over 90% of its supercars would have some form of electrification within five years.
He highlighted that if McLaren was to switch powertrains to pure-electric today, the amount of British-sourced components would drop from 75 to 35%.