You’d think Dcbel, a company whose business revolves around home energy and electric vehicle (EV) charging, would be reeling under the combined weight of the United States trade war and disappearing EV incentives in both the US and Canada.
“Energy problems are universal problems.”
Marc-André Forget, Dcbel
However, CEO Marc-André Forget believes there’s little reason to be concerned. He claims the Montréal-based firm’s centrepiece, the Ara Home Energy Station, which both manages household electricity and plugged-in EVs, is doing well in spite of political and market-driven challenges.
“Surprisingly, the impact is minimal,” Forget told BetaKit in an interview.
The executive noted that Ara is a home energy product, not just an EV product, and thus isn’t heavily dependent on EV sales. He also contends that demand is still “growing” worldwide, and that Dcbel developed Ara to be viable without relying on subsidies or other aids. An artificial intelligence (AI)-supported supply chain helps with flexibility.
The 2025 federal budget, which includes expanded cleantech tax credits and streamlined scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED), alongside major sovereignty projects, also didn’t ruffle Forget’s feathers. He argued that energy rules are “surprisingly the same” around the world, as are issues like blackouts and simplified energy controls. “Energy problems are universal problems,” he told BetaKit.
Dcbel was founded in 2015 and has attracted mounting investor interest in recent years, including a $50-million USD ($70-million CAD) Series B in 2023 and a $55-million CAD round this year led by the government’s arm’s-length Canada Growth Fund. In September, the company secured unspecified funding from Fidelity Investments Canada that helped expand global manufacturing. It also partnered with delivery giant UPS on a US logistics centre in Louisville, Kentucky.
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In late November, Dcbel unveiled bi-directional EV charging partnerships with Volvo and its sibling brand Polestar. Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3 drivers in the US can plug their electric SUVs into Ara to power their homes during days-long outages. Forget billed the partnership as a “great fit” and said that it didn’t take long for the companies to integrate their technologies.
The CEO also saw this as the prelude to a promising 2026. There will “absolutely” be more automaker partnerships, he said, and the Louisville centre will play a key role as Dcbel gradually expands US availability to the entire country.
And yes, Canada will remain important going forward. While consumers will have to “stay tuned” for partnerships like that with Volvo and Polestar, Forget said Dcbel will “follow the leadership” of Canadian governments as it grows in its homeland.
“I can assure you that we’ll be in Canadian homes,” he added.
Images courtesy of Dcbel.