Welcome to the April 2022 edition of Elasto Proxy’s EV Roundup, a summary of newsworthy items about electric vehicles (EVs). Elasto Proxy makes custom seals, gaskets, and insulation for the EV industry and has branches in Quebec and Ontario, Canada; South Carolina, USA; and in Europe. We’re ready to support you, so tell us about your EV project.
Electric Vehicle Show Grows
The 2022 Montreal Electric Show shattered attendance records as 43,000 visitors flocked to Olympic Stadium from April 22 to 24. According to Auto123, 90 exhibitors and 17 brands were on-hand. With 75% more visitors than in 2021, this year’s event featured a selection of electric dirt bikes and a test track. Visitors were also eager to road test over a dozen models of electric cars.
Quebec Drivers Like Used Electric Cars
Car buyers in Quebec don’t want to wait for new EVs to arrive. According to CTV News in Montreal, EV searches on the website AutoHebdo grew by 85% in March 2022 compared to the same period last year. There’s another benefit to used EVs as well. According to CAA-Quebec, buying a used (or new) EV is generally more profitable than buying its gasoline-powered equivalent.
Northern Ontario EV Initiative Emerges
Six of northern Ontario’s largest communities will work together to help advance EV related technologies. The coalition is one of several across the province that are supporting the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), according to Timmins Today. “Right now, Ontario is uniquely positioned to emerge as a North American EV hub,” said Vic Fedeli, minister of economic development, job creation, and trade
GM Invests in Canada’s First All-Electric Vehicle Assembly Plant
General Motors is making a $2 billion investment to build it first all-electric assembly plant in Canada at CAMI Assembly in Ingersoll, Ontario. Starting in December 2022, GM will build electric vans there for GM’s BrightDrop subsidiary. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Canadian government is kicking in $250 from its Strategic Innovation Fund to support GM’s investment.
South Carolina Consortium Will Help Build EV Workforce
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is providing $2.83 million to a consortium of South Carolina colleges and universities that will help train workers for the EV industry. Collaborative Research: REVVED is a partnership between Trident Technical College, Greenville Technical College, Spartanburg Community College, and Clemson University. Industry partners include BMW, Bosch, Daimler, Proterra, and Volvo.
Vietnam’s VinFast Chooses the Carolinas for EV Manufacturing
The automotive arm of Vietnam’s largest conglomerate plans to build a $2 billion EV manufacturing and battery plant in North Carolina. VinFast, which is part of Vingroup, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state’s government to build its first U.S.-based factory. The 1,977 acre compound will produce 150,000 EVs per year, a total that includes both electric cars and buses.
Volkswagen Group and BP to Deploy 8,000 EV Chargers in Europe
Volkswagen has entered into a strategic partnership with BP to expand the latter’s EV charging network across the European Union and United Kingdom. According to electrek, the first of Volkswagen’s 4,000 Flexpole chargers have already entered into service in Germany and the UK. BP recently signed a multi-year contract with Tritium for direct current fast chargers (DCFCs).
Hamburg Orders Electric Buses from MAN Truck & Bus
MAN Truck & Bus will build 53 electric buses for Hamburg, Germany and deliver the first of these vehicles this year. According to electrive.com, the Volkswagen subsidiary has received orders for more than 700 of its electric buses since 2020. The vehicles are produced at the MAN plant in Starachowice, Poland and have a range of up to 350 km. The batteries for the fully electric driveline are located on the vehicle’s roof.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of Elasto Proxy’s EV Roundup and welcome your inquiries about how we can help you with your next EV project.
