Honda’s EV Hub in Ohio will have flexibility to produce petrol, hybrid electric and battery electric vehicles on the same manufacturing line.
The first EV will made at the Marysville Auto Plant late in 2025.
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Honda said it was using the retooling of the Marysville Auto Plant, the East Liberty Auto Plant and the Anna Engine Plant to “reimagine” its approach to vehicle production, “focusing on human-friendly and environmentally responsible manufacturing layouts, processes and materials that will also achieve the highest level of quality, efficiency and value to customers”.
Retooling efforts included the installation of the first of six 6,000 ton high pressure die cast machines at the engine plant for megacasting the cases for the intelligent power unit (IPU), which houses the EV battery and serves as part of the vehicle platform. The cases being developed are much larger than anything Honda has die cast before, with megacasting representing a new capability for the automaker worldwide.
After consolidating two vehicle production lines into one to begin the transition to the flexible production line that will build petrol, hybrid and EVs while also maintaining current ICE and hybrid production, the auto plant is now preparing for an all new capability, the sub assembly of the IPU.
Workers at the auto plant will combine the battery modules from L-H Battery, the Honda-LG Energy Solution joint venture EV battery plant being constructed in Ohio, with the IPU case made at the engine plant to produce mid- and large-size IPUs for the different vehicles to be made at the Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants in Ohio.
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By GlobalDataThe automaker is changing the production environment by reducing complexity on the main production line which enables process layouts which reduce walking required for associates. By changing the flow of certain installation processes, the team is increasing the space allotted for parts delivery and staging to create an optimised, worker friendly environment.
“By optimising the flow of processes we’re also making it easier for workers to achieve the highest level of quality, efficiency and value for our customers,” the automaker said.
Honda is spending US$700m on retooling in Ohio while the automaker and LG Energy Solution have committed $3.5bn for the new JV battery facility, with the overall investment projected to reach $4.4bn. The facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, with annual capacity of approximately 40GWh.
Even as it accelerates preparation for EV production, the automaker plans to sustain current ICE and hybrid electric vehicle production in order to meet continued strong demand. The sustained success of ICE and hybrid electric vehicle sales also will support the required investment in the electrified future.
