One of the stars of CES extension (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas this week is a home-grown creation: Project Arrow, a Canadian electric SUV concept.
This vehicle is a collaboration of nearly sixty suppliers in Canada and overseen by the Automobile Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA). Named after the 1950s Canadian Avro Arrow fighter aircraft.
The development of Project Freccia, launched about three years ago, was delayed like so many others by the pandemic, but what you see here is no longer a simple model or design study: the vehicle is actually operational. .
What a fantastic day here at CES in Las Vegas to unveil #ProjectArrow. I am so proud to be part of this team to showcase the skills of 🇨🇦. Go Team Canada 🇨🇦 @APMACanada pic.twitter.com/9o2EfrkApQ
— Gobind Saran (@GobindSaran1) January 6, 2023
Québec’s contribution
As we taught you in October 2021, the Quebec government has been financially involved in the project by granting an amount of 1.4 million dollars in 18 months to small and medium-sized enterprises for the production of the components and systems necessary for its operation. This money was in addition to $5 million from the federal government and $1.8 million from Ontario.
Some companies in the beautiful province have responded to the call. For example, Fastco (Vaudreuil-Dorion) created the propeller-shaped wheels that are as unique as the rest of the vehicle. Leddartech (Quebec) provides the technology that supports the five cameras, four radars and two lidars, devices that together will enable level 3 autonomous driving.
Photo: Newspapers
In fact, the only component of Project Arrow that doesn’t come from Canada is the touch screen on the dashboard, manufactured by the Chinese company Lenovo. According to the APMA, no Canadian manufacturer has been able to supply it.
Still far from the goal
When will a production model hit our roads? Do not hold your breath. After CES, Project Arrow will be on display in various locations over the next couple of years, not just at auto shows (at least the ones that remain), but at automakers as well. The goal is for one of them to agree to become the project’s production partner.
The president of APMA Flavio Volpe says that some have already shown interest, obviously without naming them. More information, especially on a technical level (power, range, etc.), will come later. In the meantime you can visit the site projectarrow. ca learn more.
