Four out of the five automakers in Canada have announced plans to build battery manufacturing facilities in the U.S.
Ever since U.S. President Joe Biden announced in March that his administration would invest US$174 billion “to win” the electric vehicle market, Canadian industry officials have been wondering how that influx of money would affect this country’s auto sector.
Batteries are expected to supplant the engine as the central and most valuable component in a vehicle, and so industry groups are keen to see at least one major battery cell manufacturing plant built in Canada to ensure the industry remains vibrant in the future.
But in recent months, at least three of the five global automakers with operations in Canada including Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp. have revealed plans for big ticket battery facilities in the U.S.; and a fourth, Honda, said it plans to rely on GM for its batteries.
That’s thrown the focus squarely on Stellantis N.V., which last week announced plans for two battery plants to supply its North American operations. The European automaker is still reviewing locations, but the company has agreed to invest as much as $1.5 billion in its Windsor operations, and already people are hoping that it plans to include a battery plant there.
For the rest of this article: https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/electric-vehicles/we-need-a-battery-plant-here-dreams-of-making-canada-an-ev-manufacturing-hot-spot-stuck-in-neutral