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Volkswagen y Honda se preparan para convertir a Ontario en un centro clave para la fabricación de baterías de vehículos eléctricos
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Los vehículos eléctricos son la norma del día. Ante la amenaza inminente del cambio climático y el calentamiento global, la era actual ha comprendido la necesidad de alejarse de los combustibles fósiles lo más rápido y eficazmente posible. Entre 2024 y 2028, los ingresos del mercado de vehículos eléctricos se proyecta alcanzar entre US$623.3 mil millones y US$906.7 mil millones a nivel mundial, con ventas unitarias que podrían superar los 17 millones para 2028.
En medio de un crecimiento masivo de la demanda de vehículos eléctricos, todos los principales fabricantes de automóviles están consolidando sus capacidades de fabricación de vehículos y componentes. Una región que ha capturado con éxito la imaginación de varios fabricantes líderes de vehículos eléctricos es la provincia canadiense de Ontario.
Honda establecerá una instalación de producción de baterías para vehículos eléctricos en Alliston, Ontario, Canadá
Honda Motor (HMC ) Co. Ltd. anunció recientemente planes para expandir operaciones y establecer una instalación de producción de baterías para vehículos eléctricos en Alliston, Ontario, Canadá. El proyecto, según se informa, tiene un presupuesto de US$11 mil millones y creará mil empleos.
Al detallar el éxito de Honda en Canadá y cómo el anuncio de la ‘inversión histórica’ contribuye a ello, Jean Marc Leclerc, presidente y director ejecutivo de Honda Canada Inc., dijo:
“Honra con orgullo a los asociados altamente calificados que han ganado una reputación global por la excelencia en la fabricación y representa el reconocimiento de Honda de la atractividad a largo plazo del ecosistema canadiense de fabricación de vehículos eléctricos.”
Honda Canada Inc., la empresa matriz de Honda y Acura, estableció Acura, una marca de vehículos de lujo específicamente para el mercado norteamericano. Esta medida surgió en respuesta a las restricciones de exportación del gobierno japonés sobre automóviles a EE. UU. durante la década de 1980.
Aunque Honda Canada Inc. tiene una amplia experiencia produciendo más de 10 millones de automóviles y camiones ligeros en sus instalaciones de fabricación de Alliston, la empresa ha colaborado con los gobiernos de Canadá y Ontario para este proyecto de prestigio. Como apoyo, el gobierno ofrecerá incentivos basados en el rendimiento, incluidos nuevos Créditos Fiscales a la Inversión y incentivos provinciales directos e indirectos.
Según el Honorable Vic Fedeli, Ministro de Desarrollo Económico de Ontario, la inversión histórica de Honda representa un voto de confianza en el estatus de Ontario como jurisdicción líder en la producción y desarrollo global de vehículos eléctricos, baterías y materiales de baterías.
Sin embargo, Honda no es el único fabricante de vehículos líder que contempla construir instalaciones completas de EV en Ontario. Su homólogo, Volkswagen, también está en la carrera.
Volkswagen planea una instalación de baterías de estado sólido de US$7 mil millones en Ontario
Volkswagen Group Canada Plc. has announced its vision to manufacture solid-state batteries at its upcoming gigafactory in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. Gigafactories are huge facilities that produce a significant number of batteries for EVs. Tesla (TSLA ) ushered in the concept of gigafactories through its facility in Sparks, Nevada. The concept is replicated as a model at various places worldwide.
While explaining Volkswagen’s plans for this upcoming facility in Ontario, Vito Pladino, the Volkswagen AG (VOW.DE ) (VOW3.DE ) CEO for Canada, had the following to say:
“The solid-state battery will allow us to provide electrification in a more affordable way.”
According to Paladino, climate change is compelling many to move away from IC-engine vehicles. However, Paladino believes affordability remains a challenge for EVs. The solid-state batteries to be produced by the car manufacturer will not only be cost-efficient, but they will also be ahead in terms of range and performance.
Poweco Canada Inc. is Volkswagen’s battery manufacturing subsidiary. It believes the proposed site is ready for groundbreaking and will eventually produce batteries by 2027.
Solid-state batteries have proven to be better than their lithium-ion counterparts. Since they use solid electrolytes instead of liquid electrolytes, their charging time is less. A solid-state battery is also a safer option to deploy, as its solid electrolytes are less prone to catch fire.
Apart from signaling a crucial shift in the technological regime of EV battery production, the VW facility to be built at St. Thomas marks a crucial shift in the region’s participation dynamics in the country’s overall tech landscape. With VW making the announcement, it is the first time in years that Canada has attracted a new automaker to build out its supply chain.
Stellantis y LG Energy Solutions continúan la construcción de la planta NextStar de baterías EV en Windsor, Ontario
Stellantis had announced a halt in its project to construct an EV battery plant in partnership with LG Energy Solutions. However, in julio de 2023, the decision to resume construction became public, incentivized by tax breaks that could go up to $15 billion.
Victor Fedeli, minister of economic development, job creation, and trade, explained the decision. The Ontario province would provide up to $5 billion in tax breaks based on production over a 10-year term, while the remaining $10 billion in tax breaks would come from the federal government.
According to the minister, the tax break and the continuance of the deal would help keep Ontario competitive on the global stage and secure jobs. While speaking about the nature of the incentive, Fedeli said:
“It’s not like the incentive money that the province and the feds delivered to the battery company. We invested $500 million in capital. This is like a performance incentive or a tax break. It’s not a cheque per se.”
But what makes Ontario a popular destination for global brands looking forward to expanding their capacities in EV production? Let us inspect the phenomenon closely.
Ontario: ¿Por qué elegirlo para EV?
Ontario is the second-largest Canadian province. The latest available data suggests its population to be close to 16 million.
When we look at the EV sector, the Ontario Energy Board reports, and findings suggest that interest in EVs among residential and business customers is on a surge. Looking at this interest, the OEB has taken multiple steps to support EV adoption. In the following segments, we will look into these steps briefly.
Iniciativas del Ontario Energy Board para apoyar la adopción de EV
The OEB has introduced a dynamic electricity pricing plan. Residential and small businesses can choose from any of these three price plans. The ultra-low overnight price plan encourages shifting electricity use to overnight when provincewide electricity demand is lower. The ultra-low price applies from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day, supporting the integration and adoption of EVs.
The Board also ensures that those adopting EVs get proper assistance from distributors. The distributors, for instance, need to empower new residential customers with the capacity to accommodate 200-amp service as part of a basic residential connection. The OEB has also established a framework under which the distributor, rather than the customer, pays for the upgrades to the electricity distribution system.
Reducción propuesta por Ontario en la tarifa eléctrica para proveedores de vehículos eléctricos
The province of Ontario is also contemplating a reduced electricity rate for EV charging station providers. The provincial authorities believe that this incentive will encourage sectoral growth. If approved, the new reduced rate will become effective from January 1st, 2026, onwards. Although the final decision will be taken after consultation with stakeholders, the officials, for now, are planning to apply the reduced charges to chargers that have at least 15 percent utilization.
According to Energy Minister Todd Smith:
“This is another step we are taking to give drivers in every part of our province, including rural Ontario, the confidence to transition to electric vehicles and take advantage of our growing, world-class clean grid.”
While speaking about the potential benefits of the decision, Susanna Zagar, the CEO of OEB, had the following to say:
“This rate aims to fairly allocate costs and better support the efficient integration of EVs in Ontario.”
The ministry and officials hope the lowered rates will encourage providers to build more charging stations. They also feel that what has been planned would encourage certain communities to invest in EVs and have a trickle-down effect on consumers.
Crédito fiscal para EV de Canadá
The latest Canadian budget, released in mid-abril de 2024, extended the rebates for zero-emission vehicles by two years by updating a policy that would continue funding clean fuel production in Canada and introduce tax credits for EV manufacturing.
The tax credit would be available for businesses actively investing in assembling electric vehicles, manufacturing batteries, and cathode-active materials in the country. The incentives would cover the cost of relevant buildings and supplements and previous year’s investments in new machinery and equipment.
The Canadian government is also keen to create a conducive environment for zero-emission vehicle manufacturing in the country, which bolsters investor sentiments. The government has created a provisional allocation to the scale of $607.9 million to Transport Canada for 2024 and 2025. It offers up to $5,000 in rebates for buying or leasing eligible zero-emission vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Ontario es el centro de fabricación de Canadá y planea seguir siéndolo
Apart from the policies, rebates, tax cuts, and incentives targeted specifically toward bolstering the production of EVs, Ontario is also a favorite of manufacturing companies for its longstanding and continuing investments in adequate infrastructure building. Especially during the COVID times, in 2021, the Ontario provincial government made it a point to lay out plans and initiatives to revive the region’s manufacturing capabilities.
The policy discussions showed that Ontario already had a skilled and trained workforce for manufacturing. Despite the stagnation during the times, the sector remained a significant source of jobs in absolute terms, representing roughly 11% of total provincial employment and almost half of the manufacturing jobs in the country. Reportedly, there was no dearth of talent as the jobs were well-paying.
The provincial authorities eventually devised a partnership strategy to revitalize Ontario manufacturing. Many of the steps it took helped create trust and interest among manufacturing companies in investing in the region.
For instance, the province chose to invest in skills supporting advanced manufacturing operations, specifically by fostering collaborations with industries and educational institutions to develop a qualified workforce. It planned to develop mentorship programs, encouraging retirees and older workers to teach and mentor the younger workforce.
Additionally, the province called for the government’s support in encouraging firm-sponsored training. It was also during the drafting of this plan that the idea of an investor tax credit option was conceived. Policymakers believed that such incentives would aid the growth of manufacturing start-ups and attract more risk capital to the sector.
At the time of creating this plan, the manufacturers in Ontario were already eligible for the Manufacturing and Processing Tax Credit (M&P Tax Credit), which effectively reduced their provincial corporate tax rate from 11.5% to 10%. The plan asked for a viable option to bring down the effective corporate tax rate on manufacturers by making the M&P tax credit more generous.
All these efforts are now showing results and helping to attract more global players to set up their EV facilities in Ontario.
Una ubicación estratégica para el futuro
If plans proceed as intended, Ontario will continue maintaining its dominance in manufacturing. The province boasts that 71% of its adults possess a post-secondary education, making it a leading producer of STEM graduates in North America, home to globally revered universities like the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo.
Additionally, the province offers clean and affordable electricity, with almost 90% of Ontario’s electricity generation coming from clean sources in 2022. Geographically, Ontario is strategically located in the heart of North America, extending from a mineral-rich north to the farms and vineyards of the south, featuring a dense urban corridor running east-west along the United States border. With 14 border crossings to the United States, the state is well-connected to New City, Washington, and Chicago.
These factors make Ontario a conducive habitat for EV companies to thrive. A skilled workforce, affordable access to resources, and a great connection to potential markets—what more could one ask for?
