Project Arrow is a flagship automotive innovation and industry showcase platform led by the Automotive Parts Manufacturers's Association (APMA) of Canada, rather than a traditional vehicle manufacturing brand. This project was born in 2020 and is a "mobile business card" — aiming to prove to the global automotive industry that Canada possesses the design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities for complete zero-emission, smart connected, and autonomous vehicles. The name "Arrow" has profound historical significance in Canada, paying homage to the Canadian aviation legend "Avro Arrow", symbolizing national ambition, innovative spirit, and engineering capabilities beyond the era. Project Arrow is funded by the Canadian federal and provincial governments, bringing together the research power of top universities such as Ontario Tech University and Carleton University, and deep collaboration with more than 80 Canadian domestic parts suppliers and technology companies, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive automotive industry cooperation projects in Canadian history.
The concept of Project Arrow began in 2020, at a time when the global automotive industry was on the eve of a comprehensive transformation towards electrification and intelligence. Although Canada possessed a strong foundation in parts manufacturing, it never had a landmark project capable of integrating the entire industry chain's capabilities. APMA first announced the project at CES 2020, and then held the National Future Electric Vehicle Design Competition in 2021. The winning scheme came from four students in the School of Industrial Design at Carleton University in Ottawa, and this scheme became the basis for the appearance design of the later prototype. Between 2021 and 2023, APMA integrated parts and technologies from nearly 60 Canadian suppliers, jointly led by Ontario Tech University as the lead for engineering design and final vehicle assembly, to complete the development of the first prototype.
In January 2023, the Project Arrow prototype was unveiled to the world for the first time at CES, announcing that it was completed on time and within budget, with a localization development rate of 97%. As a fully operational all-electric SUV concept car, it is equipped with an 82.5 kWh lithium battery, dual-motor four-wheel drive with a combined output of 550 hp, 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 3.5 seconds, an estimated range of up to 500 km, and advanced technologies such as a solar roof, Level 3 autonomous driving, and a smart cockpit. APMA Chairman Flavio Volpe stated at the press conference: "We hope to prove to the global automotive industry that Canada possesses all the technical knowledge and professional talent needed for electrification transformation." Unlike a pure static concept car, this prototype was built as a dynamic demonstration platform capable of legally driving on public roads. The total project cost was approximately 20 million CAD, with the prototype valued at about 20 million CAD.
From 2024 to 2025, the project entered a phase of rapid expansion. In October 2024, the prototype launched a two-year global tour, appearing on international stages such as Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and the Hannover Messe in Germany. Concurrently, the Canadian federal government announced an additional 7 million CAD investment, and the Ontario Provincial Government, along with the federal government and the OVIN Innovation Network, also added multiple rounds of special grants, with cumulative federal and provincial funding exceeding 17 million CAD. In 2025, APMA officially launched the Project Arrow Phase 2.0 stage, designating Ontario Tech University as the research and manufacturing partner.
On February 12, 2026, at the Media Day of the Toronto Canadian International Auto Show, APMA released the first two brand new prototypes of the Project Arrow Phase 2.0 — Vector and Borealis, representing technical visions for 2030 and 2040 respectively. Both vehicles are based on chassis architectures jointly manufactured by AI and 3D printing, and continue to use core technologies contributed by Canadian domestic suppliers, with more than 80 local companies participating in the manufacturing.
Project Arrow currently owns three independent concept prototypes, which are not mass-production models for ordinary consumers, but industry-academia-research demonstration platforms at different technological stages.
2023 Project Arrow Archer Prototype is the project's first work, with styling designed by Carleton University and engineering development led by Ontario Tech University. The appearance adopts the design characteristics of an all-electric platform with short front and rear overhangs and a long wheelbase, and is defined as a four-door all-electric SUV crossover. The design language is smooth and modern, featuring a solar battery roof. It is powered by an 82.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, a front and rear dual-motor four-wheel drive system, with a combined system output of 550 hp, an estimated 0-100 km/h acceleration time of about 3.5 seconds, an estimated driving range of about 500 km, and a top speed of about 180 km/h. Intelligent configurations include integrated Level 3 conditional autonomous driving, smart cockpit, and cybersecurity systems. APMA stated that the prototype's cost was approximately 20 million CAD, with an individual selling price of about 60,000 CAD.
Project Arrow Vector is the first product of the project's Phase 2.0 stage, positioned as a "near-term innovation platform for 2030". Vector adopts a lightweight polymer material and aluminum alloy composite chassis designed by AI and shaped by 3D printing, equipped with an all-electric powertrain. Power output is increased to 650 hp, estimated range about 550 km, supporting up to Level 3 autonomous driving functions. Compared to the first-generation prototype, Vector has achieved significant upgrades in power performance, lightweight materials, and 3D printing technology application.
Project Arrow Borealis is the project's ultimate forward-looking concept prototype, positioned as a "research and design platform for 2040". This car has no steering wheel or pedals, adopting a fully driverless mobile space design. The interior features a four-seat opposing layout with a meeting table, completely taken over by a Level 5 fully autonomous driving system. Borealis adopts a fully 3D-printed metal alloy chassis and a fully 3D-printed powertrain. It plans to carry a zero-emission powertrain, targeting a combined range of up to 1500 km, with V2X communication capabilities compatible with future smart city systems, and constructs a high-performance central computing domain architecture based on the Ottawa Infotainment company's DragonFire OS.
Project Arrow's core technologies are concentrated in four major areas: 3D-printed chassis, AI design and manufacturing system, powertrain, and intelligence architecture.
3D-Printed Composite and Metal Chassis Technology is the project's most iconic technical tag. The 2023 model prototype uses a 3D-printed composite chassis provided by Toronto startup Xaba, using Nanoweb patented materials from Meta Materials, featuring electromagnetic interference shielding, de-icing, de-fogging, and other functions. Vector introduces a lightweight polymer material and aluminum alloy composite chassis designed with AI assistance and shaped by 3D printing. Borealis pushes further to a fully 3D-printed metal alloy chassis and powertrain, with the chassis manufacturing cycle shortened to within one week.
Electric Drive and Range Technology: The 2023 model prototype drives dual motors with an 82.5 kWh battery pack, achieving a performance combination of 550 hp / 500 km range / 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds; Vector upgrades to 650 hp / 550 km range; Borealis pushes the range target to 1500 km, becoming a forward-looking demonstration platform for zero-emission long-distance mobility.
Software-Defined Vehicle Architecture: APMA has selected Ottawa Infotainment to design the next-generation software and electrical and electronic architecture for Borealis. The core platform DragonFire OS and high-performance computing module family can replace dozens of traditional ECUs, simplifying body wiring harnesses, enhancing cybersecurity, and supporting OTA continuous updates.
Supply Chain Integration is another core technical advantage of the project. The 2023 model prototype integrated parts and technologies from nearly 60 Canadian suppliers, achieving a 97% localization rate, making it the vehicle-level showcase project with the highest localization ratio among global similar platforms. Borealis brings together the technology and materials of more than 80 Canadian suppliers.
Project Arrow does not target sales or profit; its main "market performance" is reflected in two dimensions: indirect industrial driving effects and global industry influence. As of July 2025, the approximately 60 core suppliers participating in the original project have obtained at least 500 million CAD in new contract revenue, directly or indirectly creating approximately 400 new jobs. This result is regarded as Project Arrow's corest "commercial performance".
In terms of global industry influence, after the Project Arrow debut at CES 2023, it started a two-year global tour, visiting Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver in 2024, and participating in the Hannover Messe in Germany in Spring 2025, displaying Canadian technical strength alongside top global companies such as Volkswagen and Bosch. CES 2026 official announcement states that Borealis and Vector will have their North American debuts, further expanding Canada's visibility and bargaining power in the global new energy supply chain. The Canadian federal government and Ontario Provincial Government have provided more than 17 million CAD in direct financial support for the project combined.
As an industry showcase platform rather than a mass-production car brand, Project Arrow does not target overseas sales, but the overseas expansion of its supplier network and technical results has become the strategic foothold of the project. Production and R&D are concentrated within Canada: The Ontario Tech University ACE Core Research and Testing Facility is the lead unit for vehicle integration and assembly, relying on its globally leading climate wind tunnel (capable of simulating extreme weather from blizzard to hurricane level) to conduct vehicle testing; Carleton University provides the original appearance design; and more than 80 Canadian domestic parts suppliers provide full-chain technologies covering critical mineral raw materials, composite materials, sensors, battery technology, smart cockpit systems, and more.
In terms of brand result output, the project's technical results and supply chain capabilities are radiating to mainstream global automakers through the supplier system. In Spring 2025, the Project Arrow prototype appeared at the Hannover Messe in Germany, directly facing European OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. The Canadian federal government clearly positions Project Arrow as a flagship window to showcase Canada's electrification and intelligence supply chain capabilities in front of global vehicle manufacturers, promoting international vehicle manufacturers including Volkswagen, Ford, Toyota, and GM to include Canadian suppliers in their global procurement systems. Borealis's Level 5 autonomous driving and smart city interconnection capabilities, as well as the EE architecture based on DragonFire OS, are also positioned as commercial solutions for global OEM licensing.
Project Arrow's future development is expected to continue its "three-step" strategy. First, demonstrate to the world the ability to build complete vehicles through the prototype global roadshow, a goal that was successfully completed in 2023. Second, encourage Canadian suppliers to obtain substantial orders from global OEMs via the prototype platform; this goal is being gradually realized through new contract revenue exceeding 500 million CAD, and is expected to create more commercial value as Vector and Borealis gain global exposure. Third, plan to develop a prototype platform with greater commercial viability before 2028. According to the plan publicly announced by APMA in early 2026, the next stage goal of the project is to expect manufacturing of a new prototype in 2028 that can achieve large-scale factory production in Canada and possess stronger commercial viability. If this plan proceeds smoothly, the Canadian automotive industry will welcome the most substantial "Made in Canada" vehicle implementation milestone in modern history.
© 2024 Bitauto.com. All Rights Reserved.
Bitauto (www.yiche.com and www.bitauto.com) is one of the most visited automotive websites in China. We provide detailed info on Chinese car brands available in your area. Please note that the information provided on this website is based on publicly available data and is for reference only. It may not be fully updated or accurate at all times.
