In what Canadian Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne calls the biggest auto manufacturing investment in Canadian history, Volkswagen Canada has announced it will establish an EV battery plant in St, Thomas. Start of production in a factory that is expected to employ 2,500, is planned for 2027. The news was hailed by Ontario Economic Development Minister Vic Fideli, “Today’s news is a major vote of confidence in Canada and Ontario, and in our shared work to position the country and the province as a global leader on the electric vehicle supply chain. The Ford government has been touting Ontario as a site for the end-to-end manufacture of Electric Vehicles, staring with mining rare minerals needed for battery production from the Ring of Fire mineral deposit in Northern Ontario- to hoped-for assembly.
Oliver Blume, CEO Volkswagen Group: “Our North American strategy is a key priority in our 10-point-plan that we’ve laid out last year. With the decisions for cell production in Canada and a Scout site in South Carolina we’re fast-forwarding the execution of our North American strategy.”
The plant will operate under the PowerCo banner
Thomas Schmall, Board Member for Technology of Volkswagen AG and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of PowerCo SE: “Canada and Ontario are perfect partners for scaling up our battery business and green economy jobs, as we share the same values of sustainability, responsibility and cooperation. We are committed to be a reliable partner and good neighbor for the people in St. Thomas and Ontario.“
The Volkswagen Group plans to introduce a portfolio of full-electric vehicles in the United States. Group brands plan to introduce more than 25 new BEV models through 2030. One such brand will be the Scout brand of trucks and SUVs.
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