The federal government this month announced an investment into the University of Toronto.
With the $2.5 million investment, U of T is slated to establish Electric Vehicle Innovation Ontario.
Electric Vehicle Innovation Ontario, or EVIO, will aim to unite industry associations, economic development organizations, and employers to support the sector into the future, according to an official statement.
EVIO will be managed by the University of Toronto’s Department of Computer Science in collaboration with several other Ontario universities: Windsor, Western, Waterloo, York, Toronto Metropolitan, Queen’s, and Ottawa.
U of T will embed graduate researchers within Ontario EV and mobility firms, where they will work on real-world challenges across battery systems, charging, power electronics, AI-enabled mobility software, and advanced manufacturing.
“EVIO connects graduate researchers directly with industry, speeding up the development of advanced EV technologies while generating new IP and future economic growth for Canada,” explains Dr. Arvind Gupta, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Toronto’s Department of Computer Science and Scientific Director of EVIO.
Leveraging artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, EVIO’s network will develop tailored technology plans for companies, accelerate commercialization, and connect firms with cutting-edge research and expertise to help scale the next generation of EV, battery innovation, and mobility technologies in Canada.
“AI and clean technology are vital to helping build a strong economic future for Canada,” posits Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation.
“Through this investment in University of Toronto’s Electric Vehicle Innovation Ontario, we are backing Canadian ingenuity to grow a world-class EV supply chain, strengthen our competitive advantage, and create good, meaningful jobs,” Solomon said.
The development of Electric Vehicle Innovation Ontario “represents a major step forward for southern Ontario’s EV ecosystem,” according to Karim Bardeesy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry.
By connecting companies with R&D talent and leveraging technologies, EVIO will help firms “innovate faster, scale responsibly, and compete globally,” according Bardeesy.
“This investment strengthens the province’s clean-tech supply chain and ensures that Canada remains at the forefront of the next generation of electric mobility,” Bardeesy stated.
“This is exactly the kind of partnership that positions Canadian innovators to lead globally,” Gupta believes, who adds that new EVIO projects will continue to launch.
The University of Toronto is Canada’s largest university, with more than 100,000 students across three campuses.
Since 2015, FedDev Ontario has invested more than $125 million in over 40 EV-related projects.