Greater Sudbury has further secured its place as a centre of learning and expertise in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. Cambrian College officially opened its new EV lab Sept. 10 at the college's main campus.
As part of the event, Vale Base Metals contributed $750,000 to the facility, which has been officially named the Vale Electric Vehicle Lab.
The 5,600-square-foot facility will let Cambrian Research and Development (R&D) students work with industry partners to develop prototypes and test industrial electrical batteries and powertrains, along with battery emulation equipment, duty cycle testing equipment and dynamometers.
Gord Gilpin, director of Ontario operations for Vale Base Metals, said we all now live in a time when economies are being reshaped, industries are being reshaped all in the interest of protecting the future of the planet.
“So this new lab space marks an important step in that journey,” said Gilpin. “And I want to congratulate Cambrian College for its forward-looking vision and commitment to driving innovation and talent development in Northern Ontario.”
He further recalled how all the events are intertwined with Sudbury’s mining history.
Gilpin recalled how Sudbury began as a nickel mining town with what he said was probably the single most important base metal discovery on the planet more than 100 years ago.
Without getting into specifics, Gilpin also reminded the audience of the decades of industrial abuse that befell Sudbury because of nickel mining, copper mining, refining and smelting.
“We all know the story of what occurred here, and I think we also know the story of the accountability that we are sharing,” said Gilpin.
But then the collaboration of industry, educators and the community created an environmental awakening.
“If you look at the story of Sudbury and how Sudbury is internationally recognized as a success story in environmental improvements, it’s great," said Gilpin. “And this is all linking back to what we're doing here today.”
Cambrian president Kristine Morrissey said she was pleased to be in the heart of a facility where students would be doing cutting-edge work and research.
“We don't do applied research at Cambrian College without the involvement of students, and this lab will be no different,” said Morrissey. “This lab will provide our students with hands-on experience in some really cool technology and innovative areas, working alongside a number of our industry partners who are here tonight.
“And the experience that these students are getting, they will graduate with jobs in hand.”
Also speaking was third-year mechatronics student Jacob Greenough, who is also a paid R&D worker at Cambrian. He said the financial gift from Vale was a gift of knowledge for himself and all the other students.
“We are able to gain exposure and experience to battery electric vehicles that we wouldn't have been able to have otherwise,” said Greenough. “I'm pretty sure that I speak for all students here when I extend our sincerest gratitude to Vale for providing us with the tools to expand and improve on our current skill sets and for always believing in Team Sudbury.”
The importance of the new facility for Sudbury is significant, said Scott Rennie, business development officer with the Economic Development division of the City of Greater Sudbury.
He said the creation of Cambrian’s Innovation Centre — where the new lab is located — was a collaboration of educators, industry and the municipality going back more than three years.
“Hats off to Cambridge College. They saw the vision for what was needed for a battery vehicle electric lab that spoke to higher-end vehicles and higher-voltage batteries,” said Rennie.
He said the college has carved out a niche and recognized the need for heavy duty mechanics working in the mining industry who will need to be up-scaled and up-trained on battery technology.
He said it is another asset that Sudbury can showcase on the international market when it comes to promoting the city as a centre of excellence and expertise for battery electric vehicles.
Rennie said international delegations are already seeking out Sudbury to see new developments.
Len Gillis covers mining and health care for Sudbury.com.
