Through the new Advanced Charging and Vehicle-to-Grid Stream, the province will support Ontario-made innovations that strengthen Ontario’s position as a global leader in the EV transition
(Toronto, ON—February 22) The Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), Ontario’s flagship initiative for automotive and mobility sector, is launching a new Advanced Charging and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Stream under its R&D Partnership Fund. Through OVIN, the Ontario Government will provide small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) up to $1M to develop advanced charging and V2G technologies and solutions that are critical to electrification and the transition to electric vehicles. This new investment in Ontario’s SMEs is essential to support the province’s adoption of electric vehicles while driving economic growth and exporting solutions across the globe.
“With over $28 billion in auto and EV investments over the last three years, our government’s targeted and responsible economic plan is ensuring the cars of the future will be built in Ontario, by Ontario workers,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Through this new partnership fund with OVIN, we will continue to see our SMEs innovate to develop the charging infrastructure necessary for our growing end-to-end EV ecosystem.”
Under the Advanced Charging and V2G Stream, Ontario SMEs will have a unique opportunity to shape the future of vehicle charging, from the vehicle to the grid. Companies will partner to develop, validate, test, and demonstrate, new technologies to drive commercialization, and deployment of solutions such as wireless charging, high-speed charging, bidirectional charging, dynamic charging, and smart charging; energy demand and grid management systems; the integration of renewable energy with charging infrastructure; and energy storage and transmission.
“As the number of EV owners in Ontario continues to grow, we continue to reduce red tape, increase EV adoption, and use our clean electricity supply to support the electrification of Ontario’s transportation sector,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “This is why we’re streamlining the process for EV charging connections across Ontario, outfitting all 20 renovated ONroute stations along Highways 400 and 401 with fast chargers, investing $91 million to bring public EV chargers to small towns and enabling a new Ultra-Low Overnight price plan to help EV drivers save up to $90 per year for charging at home.”
Recognizing that the shift to electrification has a significant impact on grid capacity and energy management capabilities, Ontario through OVIN aims to tackle these challenges in order to facilitate the electric vehicle transition and support the growing adoption of EVs. The innovative charging and energy management technologies that will be developed under the Advanced Charging and V2G Stream will unlock new opportunities for harmonizing the demands of electrification with the dynamics of current energy systems. Ultimately, these leading-edge innovations are expected to create more resilient energy management systems across the province, reinforce EV-readiness, and strengthen Ontario’s position as a global leader in the rapidly accelerating shift to electrification.
“Our government is proud to support innovative programs that strengthen Ontario’s position as a global leader in electric vehicles,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The Advanced Charging and Vehicle-to-Grid Stream will drive EV research and development, prepare people for well-paying jobs, and build a more sustainable future.”
The Advanced Charging and V2G Stream opens for applications on April 1st. For more information on the eligibility requirements and application process, visit the Advanced Charging and V2G page.
“As Ontario faces a critical juncture in the shift to electrification, it is crucial that our province continues to address the energy, infrastructure, and technology requirements of the global EV transition. OVIN is proud to support the shared priorities of multiple ministries and lead the charge to shape Ontario’s electrified future. Our new Advanced Charging and V2G Stream will bring together innovators across all corners of the province to develop and deploy Ontario-made solutions that will not only scale up our province’s readiness for electric vehicles on the road, but transform our future energy capacity and ability to support the most significant mobility revolution for years to come,” said Raed Kadri, Head of the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network.
About the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN)
OVIN is an initiative of the Government of Ontario, led by the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), designed to reinforce Ontario’s position as a North American leader in advanced automotive technology and smart mobility solutions such as connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and electric and low-carbon vehicle technologies. Through resources such as research and development (R&D) support, talent and skills development, technology acceleration, business and technical supports, and demonstration grounds, OVIN provides a competitive advantage to Ontario-made automotive and mobility technology companies.