Swedish electric vehicle battery maker Northvolt is conducting a strategic review of its recent expansion moves, but says construction of its Québec plant will continue as planned.
Ottawa and Quebec announced last September the company would be receiving billions in subsidies as it builds a mega factory on Montreal’s south shore.
The future of the plant was unclear as the company announced a strategic review on July 2 and its CEO said its Canada plan could be affected.
“A strategic review is underway at Northvolt, to be concluded in the autumn, involving evaluation of timelines and capital allocation to ensure we are pursuing the most effective build-out of capacity possible,” Northvolt said in a July 2 statement reported by Reuters. The news agency also quoted the company’s CEO Peter Carlsson saying planned plants in Germany and Montreal could be reconsidered as a result.
A spokesperson for Northvolt North America, however, told The Epoch Times the Québec project is not being halted.
“Our commitment to Quebec and our intentions remain unchanged: Northvolt intends to play a central role in the energy transition by manufacturing the world’s greenest batteries here, and at this time we are proceeding with the construction of our Northvolt Six technology campus as planned,” said Communications Director Laurent Therrien.
Mr. Therrien acknowledged the company is facing “significant pressure” from customers to meet its commitments and added the strategic review will decide on deadlines for completing various projects.
Governments in Canada have invested heavily to bolster the domestic electric vehicle supply chain, in competition with the U.S. for investments.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has been spearheading the electric vehicle effort, which includes separate deals with Volkswagen, Stellantis-LG Energy Solution, and Honda.
Mr. Champagne’s office said he is aware of Northvolt’s strategic review, which could impact Canada. No further comments were provided.
“Minister Champagne is aware of the recent developments and will continue to work with all partners to foster a strong and sustainable EV sector in Canada,” spokesperson Audrey Milette told The Epoch Times in a statement.
“We are working hard to bring investments to Canada that will see more jobs and more economic growth across the country,” she added, noting that Canada has attracted over $46 billion in investments in the electric vehicle supply chain.
The Quebec government did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
Northvolt’s installation in Québec has also faced some hurdles, this time not from politicians but from saboteurs.