Electrical specialist sparks growth with manufacturing deal

A specialist in electrical work from the Black Country has made a deal with Britain’s only maker of handmade electric cars.

Teepee Electrical, based in Aldridge and Bloxwich, is now the main supplier of wiring for RBW Electric Cars, which is crucial for its manufacturing in the Midlands.

As part of the deal, Teepee will provide various wiring systems for each classic car RBW makes at its factory in Lichfield.

RBW Electric Cars is already selling its Roadster and GT models to customers and dealers worldwide and the collaboration between engineers from both companies has helped cut costs and make parts ready for mass production.

Steve Clarke, managing director of Teepee Electrical, said: “We are very proud of our British manufacturing roots, so it is a big honour to be named as an official partner for this exciting project. There is nothing like RBW and it is very pleasing to see how founder Peter Swain and his team are so committed to designing and manufacturing cars in the West Midlands, the original heart of the UK’s automotive sector.”

“We’ve worked closely to develop our manufacturing outputs on the complex cable assemblies and wiring looms that play such a critical part in the electric drivetrain of the vehicles. With volumes expected to rise to hundreds of cars per year, this represents a great opportunity for us to grow too.”

Peter Swain from RBW Electric Cars, said: “The interest in what we are doing is huge, with 334 cars already sold and our showrooms in Bermuda, Hong Kong and London proving extremely popular. We’ve captured the imagination and now we need to deliver, which is why getting our supply chain right is so important.

“Teepee Electrical is the perfect example. We don’t want traditional automotive supplier relationships based purely on cost and constant demands. Instead, we prefer to develop long-term partnerships where we benefit from outstanding engineering expertise and there are mutual benefits throughout.

“There is also a willingness to make things work and sometimes go above and beyond to reach the desired outcome. This is very much a UK manufacturing success story, and we want Teepee, and others like them, to be part of writing the next chapter.”