Taiga Motors to receive $50M in funding toward new Que. plant

Taiga Motors Corporation, a manufacturer of electric off-road vehicles, has secured $50 million in government funding to build a new plant.

The Shawinigan Mass-Production Assembly Facility in Shawinigan, Que., representing a total investment of about $125 million, will receive $10 million in federal funding, $30 million in provincial funding, and $10 million in municipal funding, says a news release.

With the development of the new facility, Taiga predicts that it will accelerate production of its off-road vehicle platforms and powertrains while simultaneously optimizing and automating the battery production.

An industry first for electric powersports, the facility will employ a vertically integrated and modular approach, using proprietary software and hardware technology platform commonalities across vehicle builds to save on costs and development times.

Advancements in automated manufacturing have allowed Taiga to innovate in electric powertrain production processes that will drive down costs to accelerate electrification in the off-road sector.

The facility is expected to become operational in the second half of 2022 with the manufacture of Taiga personal watercrafts and snowmobiles, alongside built-in flexibility for new off-road vehicles as they are brought to market.

In parallel with vehicle production, the Shawinigan facility is capable of an annual production of three gigawatt hours in battery modules and packs.

Shawinigan is a growing Canadian electrification hub and supports a robust supply chain network across Quebec. The project is expected to create 370 jobs and to develop a local supply chain of materials and components.