A groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction start of YASA’s new UK HQ at Bicester Motion, the 444-acre future mobility estate in Bicester, Oxfordshire was held on 12 September 2024.
The ceremony was attended by representatives from Bicester Motion and YASA along with 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.
YASA’s new HQ is a substantial bespoke development that will total 90,000 sq ft (8,361 sq m). The remaining four buildings of its new Innovation Quarter will be part of phase 2 which together have a construction value of £60 million.
Bicester Motion has also unveiled the new name for its Innovation Quarter which is to be known as ‘The Ranges’ as the new buildings will be on the former location of RAF Bicester’s rifle ranges.
YASA, a spin-out from the University of Oxford and wholly owned by the Mercedes-Benz Group, is pioneering new electric drive technology. Practical completion of its new HQ has been targeted for summer 2025 with YASA’s fit out to follow.
YASA employs more than 400 people across several sites in Oxfordshire and includes teams in innovation, engineering, prototyping, operations, and business support functions. In January 2026, many of their teams will be due to relocate to Bicester Motion.
The construction project is targeted to include eight apprenticeships, work experience opportunities, volunteering, career events, school engagement and site tours.
Daniel Geoghegan, chief executive, Bicester Motion said: “This is another significant milestone for Bicester Motion, not only in officially welcoming pioneering YASA and their staff ahead of joining our unique and thriving community, but also our continued investment into enabling vital future mobility innovation. The project’s new name of The Ranges is homage to its history as the location for the RAF rifle ranges of old. We are immensely proud that YASA will join our world-leading location, already the preferred home of the likes of clean and carbon neutral fuel developers, electric flight pioneers and technology companies. I would like to thank our team and consultants for all their hard work in reaching this point. We look forward to boosting construction jobs and the wider local supply chain in delivering this important project.”
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.”
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.”
Adalta Real represented Bicester Motion. Adalta Real and Bidwells are the commercial leasing agents.
Acting on Bicester Motion’s behalf are: 3DReid, Edgars, IKS Consulting, Stantec, Macgregor Smith, Nicholsons, and Motion Consultants.
