Ford and SK, a Korean battery manufacturer, have announced a plan to build a new $1.2 billion battery cathode factory in Becancour, known as Quebec’s battery valley.
Ford and SK have built or announced several battery factories in the US to support the automaker’s ambitious electric vehicles plans, which are going to require a massive ramp-up in battery supply.
On top of the battery cell production, the companies have been looking to build the entire battery supply chain in North America.
Today, Ford, SK, and EcoProBM, a cathode specialist, announced that they have partnered on a massive new factory in Bécancour, Quebec, to produce cathode material for batteries:
SK On, EcoProBM and Ford today are announcing an investment of C$1.2 billion to build a cathode manufacturing facility that will provide materials that ultimately supply batteries for Ford’s future electric vehicles.
They are planning to start production in the first half of 2026 and ramp up production to up to 45,000 tonnes of CAM per year.
They wrote in a press release that it will produce NCM cathodes:
EcoPro CAM Canada LP will manufacture cathode active materials and, more precisely, high quality Nickel Cobalt Manganese (NCM) for rechargeable batteries that are targeting greater performance levels and improved EV range compared to existing products, thanks in part to EcoPro’s core shell gradient (CSG) technology.
The factory is being built in Quebec’s battery valley, which has been named that because of a number of investments in battery materials in the region including from GM-Posco, Nemaska Lithium, Nouveau Graphite, and more.
Ford says that construction has already started:
Construction has begun on the 280,000 square-meter (or more than 3 million square-feet) site and will include a six-floor building that will house approximately 345 new jobs for Canada – from engineers and sales and service professionals to co-op positions for students from local universities and colleges in Québec. EcoPro CAM Canada LP also will pursue research and development activities aiming at increasing battery safety and performance as well as increasing productivity and minimizing the environmental footprint of its manufacturing process.
Cathode material production is currently extremely limited in North America, and this initiative is expected to help Ford stay on track with the requirements to source battery materials from North America in order for its electric vehicles to be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
