Ontario Tech University Developing Second Phase of Project Arrow Electric Vehicle
A team at Ontario Tech University is developing the second phase of Project Arrow, a zero-emission electric vehicle, according to a university announcement dated March 31, 2025. The university states the initiative has received $11 million in new federal and provincial funding and that development and testing will take place at the university’s ACE Core Research and Testing Facility in Oshawa.
The project brings together students from engineering, computer science, and business programs at Ontario Tech, alongside Canada’s automotive industry partners and the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), the university says. According to the university, the vehicle will be displayed at the Hannover Messe trade fair in Germany, scheduled for March 31 to April 4, 2025, and project development is planned to continue through 2028.
Ontario Tech University served as the lead academic institution during Project Arrow’s first phase, from 2021 to 2024, the university reports. The university says that Arrow 2.0 is designed to include artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensors, as well as a digital dashboard, touchscreens, and a carbon chassis produced by 3D printing on the Oshawa campus. According to the university, the ACE Core Research and Testing Facility is able to simulate extreme weather conditions for vehicle crash safety and durability testing.
The university reports that Andrew Genovese, a 2024 Automotive Engineering graduate, contributed to the first phase of the project and has since been hired by APMA to continue work on the next stage. The university states that Project Arrow is intended to reach speeds comparable to combustion engine vehicles, include autonomous driving features, and use materials intended to improve battery performance.
According to Ontario Tech University, ongoing research connected to the project includes additive manufacturing, battery chemistry, electrification, and cybersecurity. Statements from Dr. Les Jacobs, Vice-President of Research and Innovation at Ontario Tech University, and Flavio Volpe, President of APMA, both attribute the initiative to collaboration between the university and industry partners.