Quebec to Launch New Electric Vehicle Copper Foil Facility

A South Korean company has announced plans to establish a copper foil facility in Quebec by 2026, marking the company’s entry into the electric vehicle battery market in the province.

South Korean Solus Advanced Materials subsidiary Volta Energy Solutions, will be producing copper foil for use in automotive batteries to supply the expanding markets in North America. To become a part of the worldwide EV battery supply chain, the company will renovate a building in Granby, Quebec, southeast of Montreal, to house a copper mill.

Starting in 2026, Volta Energy’s groundbreaking Canadian facility will produce 25,000 tons of copper foil annually. When the plant’s expansion is completed in 2027, the company expects to have a capacity of 63,000 tons, or enough to produce 2.5 million batteries for electric vehicles. The building of the extension will start in the coming year.

For the $750 million investment that will generate 260 new jobs, the government of Quebec has granted the corporation $150 million, of which $26 million is forgivable. However, Ottawa will provide Volta Energy with nearly $70 million in green investment tax incentives and other programs without making a matching investment.

Hungary and Luxembourg are home to two more copper foil facilities owned by Volta Energy Solutions.

Premier of Quebec François Legault made the trip to Granby for the announcement on Tuesday and said it was another proof that Quebec is becoming a magnet for the world’s top companies in the battery and electric vehicle sectors.

“It will permit Quebec to have the first factory for EV battery copper foil in Canada, so we will be a leader,” said Legault. “This factory will export all over North America.”

Last August, Ford Motor Company announced plans for a $1.2-billion plant in Quebec to produce cathode active materials. These materials are what give electric vehicle batteries their capacity and power.