UK regions compete to be site of 'gigafactory' for electric vehicles

Government expected to unveil funding and plans for battery-making factory in near future

The West Midlands, south Wales and the north-east of England are among the regions vying to host the UK's first gigafactory" making electric car batteries, as the government edges towards a commitment to the key technology.

The UK has said it will spend as much as 1bn on an automotive transformation fund, but is yet to detail what will happen with the bulk of that money.