Honda has been building cars in the US for 40 years. It was a long, long time ago, in fact, that Honda was able to achieve this impressive milestone. It has been announced that they have produced 30 million cars in America.
“This achievement reflects the commitment of Honda associates to serve our customers, which fuels our creativity to build high-quality products we know they will love,” said Bob Schwyn, senior vice president of Honda Development and Manufacturing of America.
7 Photo
Honda began making vehicles in the US on November 1, 1982, when production began at its Marysville, Ohio plant. The company started making motorcycles at the facility in 1979. At that time, Honda was the first Japanese automaker to produce cars here. Since then, Honda’s presence has grown to eight production facilities in Ohio, Alabama, Georgia and Indiana employing nearly 17,000 people, who have contributed to that achievement.
The automaker has invested $16 billion in the US since arriving, which doesn’t include the $3.2 billion it has invested over the last five years. Honda currently builds 12 Honda and Acura models in the country. It also manufactures the model’s engines, transmissions, and hybrid systems here. The automaker has an annual production capacity of 1.3 million vehicles. According to the company, more than two-thirds of all Honda and Acura models sold in the US are made in America.
Honda’s investment in the US will continue as it transitions to building electric vehicles. The automaker revealed last year’s Prologue EV based on General Motors’ Ultium platform. The automaker’s partnership with Sony has generate new EVs scheduled for sale in North America in 2026.
The company plans to pump $700 million into the Marysville Automobile Plant, the East Liberty Automobile Plant, and the Anna Engine Plant in preparation for building electric vehicles, creating an “EV Hub” in Ohio. Honda and LG Energy Solutions are also jointly investing $3.5 billion to build a new battery facility in the state. The automaker also plans to build fuel cell electric vehicles at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio.
