Ford will build an electric vehicle battery material plant in Becanour, Quebec, Canada in partnership with a consortium of South Korean companies. An investment of CA$1.2 billion ($887 million) has been confirmed for the factory.
The factory will be able to produce up to 45,000 tonnes of cathode active materials each year for Ford’s EVs and be brought to life with the help of EcoProBM and SK On, among other companies. Production will start in 2026.
Reuters reports that Canada’s federal government will provide Ford and the consortium with a conditional loan valued at CA$322 million ($237 million) and that Quebec will offer the same amount as a partially forgivable loan.
“This is a big vote of confidence in the (EV) ecosystem we’ve been building,” Canada industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said. “This is very significant for Quebec, because as you know the auto sector has been primarily investing in Ontario, but now we have GM, now we have Ford in Becancour.”
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The facility is to be situated on a 280,000-square-meter site and will include a six-floor building that will house approximately 345 employees consisting of engineers as well as sales and service professionals. Ford will also pursue research and development activities at the site to increase battery safety and performance while also increasing productivity and minimizing the environmental footprint of its manufacturing processes.
“Ford has been serving customers in Canada for 119 years, longer than any other automaker, and we’re excited to invest in this new facility to create a vertically integrated, closed-loop battery manufacturing supply chain in North America designed to help make electric vehicles more accessible for millions of people over time,” Ford of Canada president and chief executive Bev Goodman said. “We’re excited for the opportunity for our first-ever investment in Québec with a new facility that will help shape the EV ecosystem there.”
