With the death of the Pontiac Vibe and the departure of other vehicles, the usefulness of the NUMMI factory headquarted in Fremont, CA has dropped drastically for Toyota. However, due to the fact that the products pumped out by the factory are still some what in demand, Toyota will transfer the production of said products to a factory in Cambridge, Ontario.

Exactly what are these products, you say? The Toyota Corolla, of course.

This of course is an expansion on the report we brought to you a few days ago of the same Fretmont, CA factory getting the axe.

Read (Montreal Gazette)

Tags: California, cambridge, corolla, fremont, nummi, Ontario

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Electrovaya has recently let us know via press release that they have secured $16.7 million worth of funding thanks to the Ontraio government.

The company in question is based out of Mississauga, Canada and focuses heavily on the development of rechargeable batteries. The press release states that funding is to help Electrovaya continue their battery research efforts in addition to helping them pre-commercialize their offerings.

With all of this funding for battery research provided by governments around the world we better be seeing them put to practical use in the years to come.

Tags: Canada, electrovaya, government, Ontario

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The entire world is moving towards a greener community, most importantly on the auto side of things. To help things along a bit Ontario will soon announce that they will be giving tax incentives of up to $10,000 for those who purchase a plug-in vehicle.

Don’t get too excited as these reports aren’t confirmed but a program like the abovementioned is sure to be instated soon. In comparison, the US currently offers up to $7,500 worth of incentives for those who purchase a plug-in vehicle in the States.

Let’s hope that all of this will help the auto community move towards more energy efficient cars. Perhaps one day we will even be able to phase out our dependence on oil.

Read (CTV)

Tags: America, Electric, hybrid, Ontario, Plug-in, tax cut, tax incentive

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Rebuilding and restoring old and classic cars is a hobby for most and apparently Karmann USA is ready to aid the people who are into it. Karmann USA is launching a new aftermarket group to rebuild and restore convertible tops for vintage cars in the United States.

Headquartered in Plymouth Township, Karmann Classics will offer a variety of services including: standard roof repair for vehicles in daily service; original or “authentic” restoration for show models, and a wide range of other customization options to suit specific customer needs.

“Karmann’s new aftermarket division initially will focus on restoring VW Karmann Ghias and VW Beetle convertibles,” said Erik Roeren, president and CEO of Karmann USA. “As the original manufacturer of the VW Karmann Ghia and VW Beetle convertible, Karmann is uniquely positioned to rebuild convertible roof systems for these vehicles.”

Karmann Classics initially aims to serve customers in a four-state region of the Midwest, including Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, as well as convertible owners in Ontario, Canada. During its launch phase, Karmann Classics will have the capacity to work on three to four vehicles at a time.

The company plans to expand nationwide and eventually will provide restoration services for all convertibles, in addition to Karmann Ghias and Beetle convertibles. Karmann Classics is partnering with local VW dealerships, which also will handle vehicle restoration.

(Source) Press

Tags: Beetle, Canada, convertible, Erik Roeren, hobby, Illinois, Indiana, Karmann, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, Plymouth, repair, restoration, united states, USA

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