• humanspiral@lemmy.ca
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    18 days ago

    Canada does not have the technical knowledge to build EVs.

    It’s true that we have expertise in machining. We do have cheaper metal sources, and lithium and rare earth resources that could be used to leverage Chinese automation for batteries, motors, gigapresses, and then use Canadian assembly workers to finish the cars.

    The future is about engineering and design, and Canadian sustainability means avoiding anchoring ourselves to dead ender energy and processes.

    Ford was saying yesterday “We need to protect the $46B government has invested in EV transition”. First, that is an absurd subsidy level, but to your point, it was always meant as a grift, because “real Canadians” don’t know how to make EVs.

    With Chinese (or any other if they are volunteering) investment, in long term, it is technology transfer to Canadians. We’re too stupid to do anything disruptive/progressive is the path to staying stupid and falling behind.

    • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca
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      16 days ago

      We have zero IP on battery technology. All the factories Trudeau was funding were for outdated tech.

      This country spends the lowest of the G8 on R&D and we have nothing to develop as a result of that.

      So we invested $46B on corporate welfare on EV factories but you are LUCKY if NSERC will give you enough money for battery research to fund a single student.

      This is a chronic problem of Canada and the reason why we constantly lose any edge in tech industry.