The Government of Quebec has confirmed that it is in talks with electric vehicle maker Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) about battery development.
Quebec Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon has confirmed that he met with Tesla executives in October to discuss the province’s capacity to support the vehicle maker’s global battery needs.
Quebec is rich in the resources needed to make electric vehicle batteries, including lithium and nickel. Another attraction for Tesla is Quebec’s abundance of cheap electricity, which is powered by hydro (water) projects throughout the province.
The provincial government in Quebec has long sought to capitalize on the electric vehicle boom.
The province announced in March of this year that it would split a $100-million investment with the federal government to build a battery-pack assembly plant north of Montreal.
Tesla recently relocated its global head office to Texas from California following a public dispute with the Golden State over corporate taxes.
