WHY IMPORTANT TO WISCONSIN
Wisconsin companies offering goods and services to Canada’s growing EV sector may find opportunities north of the border.
With sales of electric vehicles (EVs) on the rise, industry leaders held Canada’s first EV & Charging Expo in Toronto in May.
Canada’s government has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40% to 45%
below 2005 levels by 2030, and nearly one-fourth of the current emissions come from the transportation sector, according to 2021 figures.
The government has mandated that by 2035, 100% of new light‑duty vehicle sales will have to be zero‑emission.
Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan calls for the government to help pay for the installation of 50,000 charging ports and hydrogen refueling stations to help meet those goals.
Meanwhile, sales of electric vehicles have been rising in Canada, from 56,000 in 2019, or 2.9% of all vehicles sold, to more than 123,000 in 2022, or 8.2% of vehicles sold.
EV manufacturers and charging infrastructure companies headlined the exhibitors at the EV & Charging Expo, and visitors test-drove vehicles made by companies such as Lion Electric, BrightDrop, and Sarit.
Also featured was Project Arrow, the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) of Canada’s first zero-emission concept vehicle that was designed, engineered, and built through an all-Canadian team of automotive assembly companies and post-secondary institutions. APMA president Flavio Volpe spoke about Project Arrow’s development, and the challenges and opportunities that presented themselves during the car’s development, and said, “Canada belongs in tech conversations around the world.”
The prototype initiative cost $20 million and involved 60 partners that contributed their cutting-edge technology.
Funding programs to help finance Canada’s transition to EVs include:
- Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which provides funds for adding EV chargers and hydrogen refueling stations
- Indigenous Clean Energy’s Charge Up initiative to install EV chargers in rural and remote Indigenous communities
- Transport Canada’s zero-emissions vehicles programs, funding, and research
Wisconsin companies interested in participating in Canada’s transportation transformation should monitor Electric Autonomy’s website for news and updates.
