General Motors will start producing drive units for its Utium EV platform at its St Catharines facility. This expansion will add 500 jobs and make more than 400,000 electric drive units annually.
The units built there will be used on the flexible Ultium platform, allowing them to power different electric models bearing the company’s multiple brands. These include the Cadillac LYRIQ, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, GMC Hummer SUV EV, etc., in the North American market.
“This is a time of historic transformation for our industry and with this significant investment, St. Catharines will play a critical role in our EV future,” said Marissa West, president and managing director of GM Canada. “The St. Catharines team produces engines and transmissions for many of GM’s most popular vehicles, including full size trucks, SUVs and Corvette and we are very excited to announce our plans to supply critical drive units as well. This will support GM’s plans to build 1 million electric vehicles a year in North America by 2025.”
GM recently invested C$28 million in a Renewable Energy Cogeneration project at St Catharines. It also operates a plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, where it builds the BrightDrop Zevo 600.
GM’s ongoing projects in Canada include a new Ultium cathode active materials (CAM) facility in Becancour, Quebec, and the expansion of its Canadian Technology Center in Oshawa and Markham.
