On the 12th of September, YASA took a major step forward in it's 15-year journey, with the first ground being dug at the new HQ site at Bicester Motion.
The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by members of the YASA team including Tim Woolmer CTO, Chris Woolley Engineering Director, and Phil Thompson CFO, as well as representatives from Bicester Motion, Oxfordshire County Council, Cherwell District Council, the Mayor of Bicester Town Council, Advanced Oxford, Oxford to Cambridge Pan-Regional Partnership and members of the consultancy team.
Dr Tim Woolmer, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, YASA said:
“Today marks an important day for YASA as we start the construction of our new UK headquarters at Bicester Motion. We have been on an amazing journey and from when we spun out of an Oxford University PhD in 2009, our vision has always been to accelerate electrification. It has been a privilege to be on that journey as we have expanded. We have never had a facility like this before and it is an enormous privilege to find a long term home at Bicester Motion.
“When we discovered this place, we found this instant connection with the spirit, the vibe of the place, our shared missions and a wonderful space to grow and collaborate with other companies and people working in the space of electrification and transportation.YASA’s home has always been in Oxfordshire, the heartland of automotive technology in the UK, and our new facility will complement our existing manufacturing facility just down the road in Yarnton and we look forward to seeing our building progress.”
Our new Headquarters is a substantial bespoke development that will total 90,000 sq ft (8,361 sq m). Completion of the new HQ has been targeted for summer 2025 with the fit-out to follow. It is expected that many of the YASA teams will relocate to Bicester Motion in January 2026.
Sarah Haywood, managing director, Advanced Oxford concluded:
“It has been exciting to experience today’s significant moment for Bicester Motion’s site as a centre of future mobility innovation. This is cemented by YASA’s decision to establish their HQ and today has marked a really important step in delivering their permanent home in Oxfordshire. Their journey from University of Oxford spinout to a pioneer in vehicle electrification is testament to their hard work, the region’s fantastic innovation ecosystem and the talent of people working for them.”
