GM Canada opens plant converted to produce EVs
General Motors hopes Ontario will now become a hub for the electric vehicle market.
Prime Minister Trudeau with a BrightDrop Zevo 600. – Ryan Bolton and Brody White
Key Takeaways:
- General Motors of Canada converted its CAMI manufacturing facility in Ontario.
- The car company is spending $2 billion converting its CAMI and Oshawa plants.
- The plant has begun producing BrightDrop Zevo 600s, a light commercial vehicle that runs on a lithium ion battery.
The Whole Story:
General Motors of Canada is opening its first full-scale electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in Ingersoll, Ont. With support from the province, GM Canada has transformed its CAMI manufacturing plant into an all-EV manufacturing facility, the first of its kind in Canada. Officials say the project could help secure Ontario’s position as a global automotive hub with the vehicles of the future being built by local workers, from start to finish.
“Today’s exciting, made-in-Ontario milestone is more proof that there is no better place to build the cars of the future from start to finish than right here in Ontario,” said Premier Doug Ford. “From the critical minerals in the north to our manufacturing excellence in the south, Ontario has every advantage and will continue to build on our legacy as a global automotive leader for decades to come.”
The CAMI plant will be GM Canada’s designated EV hub for its new all-electric commercial vehicle brand BrightDrop. As part of this month’s grand opening, the first BrightDrop Zevo 600s also rolled off the CAMI EV line.
In April, GM Canada announced an investment of more than $2 billion to transform its CAMI and Oshawa manufacturing plants and improve operations across all of its manufacturing and R&D facilities in Ontario. This investment was supported with $259 million in funding from the province.
“This is truly an exciting day for Ontario as we celebrate the grand opening of GM Canada’s transformed CAMI manufacturing plant and the first all-electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Canada,” said Vic Fedeli, minister of economic development, job Creation and trade. “Watching the first BrightDrop vehicles roll off the assembly line, it is clear that Ontario will build the cars of the future. Our government continues to attract transformative investments by creating the right economic conditions and reducing red tape.”
