Magna Worldwide Inc. and Linamar Corp. are among the many Canadian auto components suppliers and tech corporations engaged on 15 new electrical automobile innovation initiatives funded via the federal “supercluster” initiative.
Subsequent Technology Manufacturing Canada (NGen) introduced April 29 the varied set of analysis and growth initiatives, operating from photo voltaic energy-absorbing automobile panels to a novel lithium mining technique.
Spending on the 15 initiatives will complete roughly $76 million, with simply over half of that quantity made up by firm investments. NGen, the industry-led group steering the federal authorities’s Superior Manufacturing Supercluster, will again the personal spending with $36 million in funding.
NGen CEO Jayson Myers mentioned automakers have began the shift to EVs, however their “transformation is way from full.”
“Vital issues have to be solved with a purpose to make the {industry} sustainable over the subsequent 10 years. Canada has all that it takes to play a number one position in that transformation – important minerals, modern analysis and applied sciences, robust manufacturing capabilities, and a extremely expert workforce.”
The greater than a dozen initiatives are the product of a 2021 name for proposals from NGen. Conventional automotive gamers, in addition to know-how and superior supplies corporations are spearheading the analysis and growth work.
Auto components heavyweight Magna has partnered with Halifax-based Rayleigh Photo voltaic Tech Inc. on its initiative The 2 firms are creating a course of to mass-produce polymer panels with built-in photo voltaic properties. Constructing off Rayleigh’s photo voltaic movie, the solar-absorbing auto components would give EVs further vary.
Linamar is working with Simcoe, Ont.-based Westhill Innovation on an EV inverter that weighs 90 per cent lower than these available on the market right now. The businesses are creating a producing course of to construct the compact and light-weight elements required.
Different initiatives prolong via the battery and gasoline cell EV worth chains.
Ballard Energy Methods Inc. and Cummins Inc. will obtain funding for work on gasoline cells, Toronto-based Li-Steel Corp. for strong state battery analysis, and Alberta mining know-how agency Summit Nanotech Corp. for a lithium extraction course of that reduces waste and will increase yields of the dear battery materials.