Britain's electric car charge faces battery challenge

FILE PHOTO: Peter Rolton, executive chairman of electric vehicle battery startup Britishvolt, shows a billboard at the site of the company's large planned battery plant, in the former industrial town of Blyth, Britain January 27, 2022. REUTERS/Nick Carey/File Photo

BLYTH, England (Reuters) - Britain risks falling behind in the race to establish an electric car industry if it can't build more battery factories - and quickly.

Ambitious plans from automakers to ramp up production of battery-powered electric vehicles (EV) and a looming change in post-Brexit trading rules that will limit options to import cheap Asian batteries mean there is no time to waste.