Electric vehicle research at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) received a financial boost today as Tony Clement, minister of industry, recently announced a $1.2-million investment to improve electric vehicles (EVs) with extended range capabilities as part of the Automotive Partnership Canada initiative. This is the first research project to be announced under the APC umbrella.

Funding for this project includes $763,340 from the Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and $430,446 from the Canada
Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Industry partner General Motors of
Canada will also contribute $1.4-million, which includes cash and
in-kind assistance, including material and resource expertise over the
life of the project. The total combined contribution is more than
$2.6-million.

“Today is a great day for UOIT,” said Dr. Ronald Bordessa, president,
UOIT. “This builds on the infrastructure funding received last year and
is a significant investment in our future. It will allow us to take a
leadership role in the training of next-generation automotive engineers
who will be equipped with the skills to design the cars of the future.
Our globally experienced researchers are already hard at work on
projects for the betterment of society, and this funding will further
enable them to revolutionize the automotive industry.”

The funding will facilitate research to improve the function of HVAC
systems in EVs by advancing the thermal management system technology to
extend vehicle travel range and provide longer-lasting battery charge.
Reducing the cost and improving the efficiency of the HVAC system will
enable widespread commercialization of this technology.

Automotive Partnership Canada (APC) is a five-year, $145-million
initiative to support significant, collaborative industry-driven
research and development that benefits the Canadian automotive industry.

“GM Canada is proud to be collaborating with researchers and students
from UOIT to develop new and innovative solutions for electric vehicles
with extended range capabilities,” said Neil Macdonald, vice-president,
corporate affairs, GM Canada.

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