March 29th, 2022
Plans for a new battery plant for electric vehicles in Windsor, ON, show Canada's auto industry is keeping pace with the emerging future. The project, announced on March 24, is supported by the federal government, the government of Ontario and the municipality of Windsor. Corporate partners are LG Energy Solution Ltd. and Stellantis NV.
The project is estimated to cost more than $5-billion, and is being described as the largest automotive manufacturing investment in Ontario's history. The battery facility, with a production capacity of 45 gigawatt hours (GWh) that will supply Stellantis plants in the North American market, will employ an estimated 2,500 people. Construction activities are scheduled to begin later this year with production operations planned to launch in the first quarter of 2024. The facility will be fully operational by 2025.
"Attracting this multi billion-dollar investment will secure Ontario's place as a North American hub for building the cars and batteries of the future," said Premier Doug Ford. "As we secure game-changing investments, we're also connecting resources, industries and workers in northern Ontario with the manufacturing might of southern Ontario to build up home-grown supply chains. Every region of Ontario will benefit with thousands of jobs being created and a stronger economy that works for everyone."
Added Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, "Our joint venture with LG Energy Solution is yet another stepping stone to achieving our aggressive electrification roadmap in the region aimed at hitting 50 per cent of battery electric vehicle sales in the US and Canada by the end of the decade. We are grateful to the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government for their support and commitment to help position Canada as a North American leader in the production of electric vehicle batteries."
Stellantis' investments in Ontario encompass the entire EV ecosystem, including EV assembly, next-generation R&D, and battery manufacturing. With 30 years of experience in advanced battery technology, LG Energy Solution is a global battery manufacturer delivering advanced lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles mobility and IT applications, and energy storage systems.
Over the past 18 months, global battery manufacturers and automakers such as LG Energy Solution, Stellantis, Ford, General Motors and Honda have announced around $11-billion in investments into Ontario for new hybrid/electric vehicles and battery manufacturing.
For more information, visit https://www.stellantis.com/