In this week’s Tuesday Ticker, Ottawa demands the return of vehicle production in Brampton, engineers test tightly packed EV power systems, a vehicle-payment provider faces a US$100-million billion and wireless charging moves onto the test bench.
Assembly required
Federal officials have warned that hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding could be recovered from Stellantis unless vehicle production resumes at the Brampton Assembly Plant.
On Sept. 11, executives at Amsterdam-based automaker Stellantis confirmed that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with Brampton-based armoured-vehicle manufacturer Roshel concerning a potential sale of the Ontario factory. Roshel executives plan to use the property for defence manufacturing.
The announcement contributed to an impasse in contract negotiations between Stellantis representatives and Unifor. Union representatives paused negotiations on Sept. 11, nine days before the collective agreement covering more than 9,000 Canadian workers was due to expire.
The Brampton plant has been idle since December 2023, when approximately 2,200 Unifor Local 1285 members were laid off to allow retooling for the next-generation Jeep Compass. Retooling was paused in February 2025.
On Oct. 15, 2025, Stellantis executives announced that Compass production would move to Illinois. Federal officials served the automaker with a notice of default on Dec. 4, 2025, over commitments tied to public funding for its Canadian operations.
The Brampton plant assembled the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger until December 2023. Those vehicles remain common in Canadian collision repair facilities.
On Sept. 18, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said vehicle production must return to the plant if executives want to avoid repayment.
“That plant needs to reopen. We need a new model. If not, we’ll get our money back,” Joly said.
Unifor national president Lana Payne urged Joly to oppose the proposed sale in a Sept. 16 letter. Payne said removing vehicle assembly from Brampton would affect more than 2,000 workers and hundreds of suppliers.
“There is no comparable economic replacement for this work,” Payne said.
Stellantis shares closed at US$4.82 on Sept. 18, down US$0.23 or 4.55%.
Power couple
Engineers at Tokyo-based automaker Subaru have begun evaluating a new power-electronics platform from Scottsdale, Ariz.-based semiconductor supplier onsemi for use in future electric vehicles.
The arrangement was announced on Sept. 16. Under its terms, Subaru engineers receive early access to samples, computer models and technical support for onsemi’s Embedded Power Platform.
The platform places several semiconductor devices directly into a silicon-based package. According to technical information provided by onsemi representatives, the design could support smaller, lighter and more efficient traction inverters.
More tightly integrated components could affect how technicians diagnose and replace damaged high-voltage systems after a collision.
“We are encouraged by the platform’s potential and look forward to continuing our technical engagement,” Subaru managing executive officer Tamotsu Inui said on Sept. 16.
Onsemi shares closed at US$66.60 on Sept. 16, down 9.0%.
Corpay to pay
Executives at Atlanta-based corporate payments provider Corpay agreed on Sept. 18 to pay US$100 million under a proposed settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
The settlement concerns previously disclosed allegations involving marketing and disclosure practices in Corpay’s U.S. Vehicle Payments division. The agreement would resolve the matter without an admission of wrongdoing.
Final approval remains subject to a public-comment period. A federal court order issued on June 8, 2023, will remain in place.
The Vehicle Payments division provides fuel cards and other payment services to commercial fleets. Those fleets represent an important source of work for collision repair facilities, rental operators and automotive service businesses.
“Corpay is committed to transparent customer disclosures, consent-based practices and strong compliance controls across our U.S. Vehicle Payments business,” chair and CEO Ron Clarke said on Sept. 18.
Corpay shares closed at US$397.76 on Sept. 18, down US$6.50 or 1.61%.
No strings attached
Engineers at Munich-based automaker BMW have begun testing wireless vehicle-charging technology with Brooklyn, N.Y.-based charging equipment supplier HEVO and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The project was announced on Sept. 21. The Tennessee-based U.S. Department of Energy research facility developed the polyphase charging-coil technology under evaluation.
HEVO engineers are providing technical support and circular coil designs for BMW’s bench testing. The work will determine whether those designs are compatible with the polyphase technology developed at the laboratory.
Polyphase charging could increase power density while reducing the size of the equipment needed inside a vehicle. If the technology reaches production, charging receivers, wiring and related underbody equipment could become part of repair planning following collision or road-debris damage.
“Wireless charging will be a foundational technology for the future of electric and autonomous transportation,” HEVO founder and CEO Jeremy McCool said on Sept. 21.
BMW shares closed at €60.82 on Sept. 21, up €0.42 or 0.70%.
