APMA, Canada’s only carmaker, has unveiled two ambitious electric vehicle concepts in Toronto. They present further proof that the country can design and build next-generation cars on its own. The new models are called Vector and Borealis, and could see the light of day around the end of the decade.
At the 2026 Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto, the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) presented two striking electric prototypes intended to carry Project Arrow into its next phase.
Showcase for engineering
As we reported before, this program was launched in 2023 as a showcase for Canadian engineering. Where the local automotive industry is primarily focused on a supplier base, it now seeks to move beyond this position and develop full-fledged cars that could find commercial footing in the next decade. So, the parts have literally come together.
The Project Arrow Vector and Project Arrow Borealis were developed with Ontario Tech University as the lead build partner. More than eighty domestic suppliers contributed components and systems.
It shows that Canada has the capacity to build an electric vehicle supply chain without relying heavily on foreign manufacturers.
Autonomous driving
Vector, which shares a few traits with the previously unveiled Arrow, is positioned as the near-term proposition. As a sharply styled crossover, it features a 650-horsepower electric powertrain and an estimated driving range of 550 kilometers.
Its chassis, produced using artificial intelligence tools and 3D printing, combines polymers and aluminium to reduce weight.
The Vector also integrates Level 3 automated driving capability, allowing the vehicle to manage driving tasks under specific conditions while a human remains available to intervene.
Range of 1,500 kilometers
The Borealis is the more experimental of the pair and turns the self-driving characteristics a notch up. Designed as a fully autonomous shuttle without traditional controls, it also used 3D-printed technology for its metal-alloy chassis and powertrain.
APMA projects a potential range of up to 1,500 kilometers on a single charge and envisions Level 5 autonomy. As such, no human input would be required under any circumstance.
Inside, Borealis adopts a lounge-like configuration with four seats facing each other across a central table. The concept emphasises vehicle-to-infrastructure communication and smart-city integration, enabling it to communicate with its surroundings, making it easier to pass toll gates, stop at traffic lights, and handle charging stations.
Shifting trade measures
The unveiling comes at a delicate moment for Canada’s automotive sector. Policymakers have recently shifted trade measures, allowing, unlike their US neighbors, Chinese imports, which increases pressure on the domestic auto industry to compete with these lower-cost international entrants. Project Arrow is stepping in as a possible response.
Yet for all the concept spectacle, important questions remain. Despite the ambitions, neither prototype is a confirmed production vehicle due to insufficient funding, and key details such as battery sourcing, manufacturing scale, and cost have not been disclosed.
However, the message from Toronto is clear: Canada’s parts makers ultimately wish not to remain subcontractors in the electric era. They want to become architects of complete vehicles.
