Honda is revving up its electric vehicle (EV) production, transforming its core manufacturing facilities in Central Ohio into a dedicated EV hub. This move comes amid accusations of lagging behind competitors in the EV race.
Key Points:
- Honda plans to officially begin EV production in Ohio by 2025.
- Three key plants in Marysville, East Liberty, and Anna are being retooled for EV components and battery production.
- The Marysville plant, currently responsible for the Accord, Acura TLX, and Integra, will see its Accord production shift to Indiana (date yet to be confirmed).
- A $700 million+ investment is earmarked for this transformation, including:
- Repurposing a production line at Marysville for new EVs and potential additional internal combustion (IC) models.
- Establishing a new area within Marysville for assembling the Intelligent Power Unit (IPU), a critical EV component housing power electronics and batteries.
- Upgrading the East Liberty plant’s overhead conveyor system to handle the heavier weight of EVs and batteries.
- Adding new machinery at the Anna plant to create IPU assembly cases.
- Honda executives remain confident in their EV strategy despite concerns about profitability and softer-than-expected growth in the EV market.
- The company emphasizes its focus on supply chain efficiency to achieve competitiveness.
- This initiative aligns with Honda’s joint venture with LG Energy Solutions to build a battery plant in Central Ohio, expected to be operational by the time Marysville’s EV production starts.
- Specific models planned for Ohio production remain undisclosed, but they will utilize Honda’s own platform, unlike the GM-based Prologue and Acura ZDX.
Lingering Questions:
- Which specific EV models will be produced in Ohio?
- Will the Sony Honda Aila collaboration be part of this Ohio production
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Overall, Honda’s aggressive revamp of its Ohio facilities signifies a significant commitment to becoming a major player in the EV market.
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