The company’s new plant, set to open in 2028, will create 350 jobs and produce up to 135 million high-performance lithium-cell batteries for EVs annually

E-One Moli Energy has chosen a small community in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland for a new $1.05-billion lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing plant.

The plant will be located in Maple Ridge, a city in the northeastern Greater Vancouver area, according to an announcement by the federal and B.C. governments earlier this week.

In 2020, Electric Autonomy exclusively reported that the battery manufacturer was actively looking to establish the “largest lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Canada” in Maple Ridge and was “in touch with the Canadian government for funding.”

E-One Moli has now secured $204.5 million from the federal government for the construction of the plant. The funding comes from the Strategic Innovation Fund’s Net Zero Accelerator Initiative, which aims to support companies working to help Canada achieve its emission reduction targets.

“E-One Moli is the latest company to establish a new battery manufacturing project in Canada, and I am excited to see their project come to fruition as their new facility will help expand the electrification of consumer products and offer new energy alternatives,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry in a press statement.

E-One Moli Energy is the Canadian division of E-One Moli Energy Corp., a Taiwan-based global manufacturer specializing in high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion cell products.

But E-One Moli Energy has deep roots in Canada. The company has been operating an R&D facility in Maple Ridge since 1990 and continues to make significant contributions to the country’s evolution of rechargeable lithium battery technology.

The B.C. government will contribute up to $80 million towards the battery plant project, with the remaining funding coming from E-One Moli and its private sources.

“This investment in British Columbia by E-One Moli is a powerful example of a global leader in clean technology manufacturing choosing to anchor its North American production and operations here at home,” said Brenda Bailey, British Columbia’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation.

Supporting clean technology

E-One Moli plans to start the construction of its battery facility in June 2024. It is aiming for full operation by 2028.

E-One Moli Quantum Energy (Canada) Ltd., a subsidiary of E-One Moli Energy (Canada), will oversee manufacturing operations at the new facility once it is operational.

Once completed, the B.C. battery plant will be Western Canada’s first high-performance lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing site, says the province in a press note.

The facility will have an annual capacity to produce up to 135 million high-performance lithium-cell batteries used in various applications, including automotive vehicles, aerospace applications, consumer electronics, power tools and medical devices.

This will position B.C. as a “new hub in the global battery component supply chain” and help support Canada’s role as a global leader in clean technology, the province adds.

“British Columbians have long been known for their innovation in the clean technology space,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “The world is looking to Canada. When we support projects like E-One Moli’s new facility in Maple Ridge, we bolster Canada’s role as a global cleantech leader, we create good jobs, and we help keep our air clean.”

The E-One Moli facility will support 450 permanent jobs, including 350 new additional jobs and 100 existing jobs. This will make E-One Moli the largest private-sector employer in Maple Ridge.

Part of the agreement also involves E-One Moli transitioning some of its plant operations from natural gas to electricity, in order to align with the province’s commitment to advancing clean technology.

“E-One Moli…looks forward to producing a pure green battery to support the world’s energy transition,” said Nelson Chang, chairman, of E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Ltd. and E-One Moli Quantum Energy.