A new electric motor production facility for a thriving electric motor manufacturer will be opened today by the Business Secretary Greg Clark.

The new site for Oxford University spinout YASA at Yarnton will support 150 skilled jobs and help deliver the next generation of environmentally-friendly hybrid and pure electric vehicles, 80 per cent of which are destined for export around the world, including China.

But the motor technology produced by YASA is also used to power the 778 horsepower Jaguar C-X75, a two-seat concept car produced in partnership with Formula One team Williams F1 and capable of a top speed of more than 200mph.

Oxford Mail:

The car, and the electric motor inside it, was test-driven by F1 driver Felipe Massa, who called the car 'a beast'.

A university spin-out founded in 2009, YASA has received extensive government support and investment for its development through auto programmes including the Advanced Propulsion Centre, Innovate UK and Regional Growth Fund.

The company is now established as a world-leading electric motor manufacturer.

In his speech today at the opening of the new site the Business Secretary will also announce as part of the Industrial Strategy an investment of £184m for 41 UK universities to help train the next generation of world-class engineers and scientists at British universities.

Ahead of the event Mr Clark said: "Innovation is the lifeblood of our Industrial Strategy and our economy.

"This spirit is embodied by YASA, a thriving business that has emerged from one of our finest academic institutions and is now helping to deliver the UK’s ambition to lead the world in meeting the Grand Challenges presented by Clean Growth and Future of Mobility.

“Through our Industrial Strategy we are helping businesses and our world-leading researchers turn incredible ideas into scale-up products and services that are available to everyone.

“Government investment in programmes that have supported YASA have helped propel this company forward.

"The factory I will be opening today is testimony to what can be achieved through our industrial approach, when academia, government and industry come together.”

YASA’s electric motors will power the next generation of innovative, environmentally-friendly vehicles, with leading auto companies like Jaguar using YASA motors to give its models like the C-X-75 the speed of a Bugatti Veyron but the emissions of a Toyota Prius.

The announcement follows the launch of the Government’s Year of Engineering campaign in January, a year-long campaign to tackle the engineering skills gap and widen the pool of young people who join the profession.

Investment will support Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP’s) that fund four-year doctoral studentships, providing UK and international students at British universities with PhD training in science, engineering and mathematics.

The DTPs will support students entering training in the academic years beginning October 2018 and October 2019.

Chris Harris, YASA’s CEO will say: "YASA is a great example of what the UK can and should expect to achieve if we invest in the innovative and creative ideas emerging from our best universities, and have the determination and patience to turn those great ideas into world-beating companies.

“With the right support and investment, companies like YASA can become the powerhouse of the UK’s future economy, creating a wide range of high-skilled jobs and benefiting the communities of which they are a part."