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Honda said today that it is making progress in the establishment of the Honda EV Hub in Ohio for production of electric vehicles (EVs) in North America. As Honda works toward the start of EV production in late 2025, retooling efforts are underway, including preparation for vehicle production and in-house assembly of the Intelligent Power Unit (IPU), which houses the EV battery and is part of the vehicle platform. Based on its goal to achieve carbon neutrality, Honda is targeting 100% zero emissions vehicle sales by 2040.
“The establishment of our EV Hub is not simply an investment in retooling and equipment, we are investing in the Honda associates who will be taking on new responsibilities to lead us into the electrified future,” said Bob Nelson, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Our EV Hub in Ohio is playing an essential and strategic role for the evolution of EV production at Honda, in North America and globally,” claimed Nelson.
Non-unionized Toyota Motor, Honda and Hyundai, among other manufacturers in the US, have been increasing wages in an attempt to stop what appears to be impending successful UAW organizing efforts at plants owned by off-shore automakers following the UAW Detroit Three contract sweep last October.
Honda will have the suppleness to produce both internal combustion engine (ICE) and EVs on the same line at Marysville Auto Plant (MAP), its first auto production facility in America. It claims this will give the company a strategic advantage to respond quickly to market demand swings while also demonstrating the “ingenuity and experience of its associates to design a uniquely flexible assembly line.” The associate-friendly improvements to MAP incorporate direct feedback from associates through focused discussions and input from the so-called Honda Associate Voice program.
Honda Marysville Auto Plant
Changes at MAP include both the startup of EV production and sub-assembly of the IPU.
- Line consolidation: MAP recently consolidated its two production lines, tearing out much of line two to enable production of both EVs and ICE vehicles on the same line. The additional space will be used to improve the ease of movement for people on the line and the efficiency of lineside parts delivery and staging for assembly of both ICE vehicles and EVs, as well as the expansion of the Vehicle Quality area to verify software-dependent vehicle functions.
- IPU sub-assembly: MAP also renovated a material consolidation area to create a new workspace where some 300 associates will sub-assemble the IPU that houses the EV battery module and its controlling hardware and software. Once MAP begins IPU production, it will supply IPUs for the production of EVs at both the Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants.
- Upskilling: later this year, MAP associates will begin training programs to prepare them for the skills required for EV production and IPU assembly, with employment to remain stable at the facility.
Honda Anna Engine Plant
AEP has produced engines and engine components, transmissions, cam shafts, crankshafts, and high tech CVT components, and will now build the IPU case, that will contain the EV battery module and serve as the main frame structure for the floor of Honda and Acura EVs.
- High-pressure die casting: AEP is preparing to install six, 6,000-ton high-pressure die cast machines that will mega cast the IPU case. The new die cast machine, over 31 feet tall, will bring IPU manufacturing in house for the first time at Honda.
- Friction Stir Welding: the IPU case is much larger than anything Honda has die cast before. It will be die-cast in two pieces and welded together seamlessly using Friction Stir Welding.
- To create space for production of the IPU case, in 2023, AEP transferred production of engine components for two different generations of engines to the Alabama Auto Plant (AAP).
Honda East Liberty Auto Plant
ELP will be producing EVs on a single production line. The changes required at ELP focus more on accommodating the heavier weight of EVs.
- ELP will be strengthening overhead conveyors that carry vehicles through the plant and is expanding the paint department to accommodate the heavier weight of battery-electric vehicles.
- Similar to MAP, the Vehicle Quality area at ELP is being expanded to verify software-dependent vehicle functions.
Joint Venture EV Battery Plant
A key part of the Honda EV Hub, construction progress continues at L-H Battery Company, Inc., a ~2 million square feet joint venture EV battery facility near Jeffersonville, Ohio.
- The facility recently enclosed the exterior structure. The final structural steel beam was installed on February 29th, almost a year after the groundbreaking for the new facility.
- Hiring is underway for the plant, with a variety of engineering and support positions currently posted on the company website. Information about technician and production roles is expected to be announced in the coming months.
- Honda and LG Energy Solution have committed to invest $3.5 billion in the new JV facility, with the overall investment projected to reach $4.4 billion. The facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, with an annual capacity of approximately 40GWh.
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Honda EV Hub in Ohio is Retooling
Click to enlarge.
Honda said today that it is making progress in the establishment of the Honda EV Hub in Ohio for production of electric vehicles (EVs) in North America. As Honda works toward the start of EV production in late 2025, retooling efforts are underway, including preparation for vehicle production and in-house assembly of the Intelligent Power Unit (IPU), which houses the EV battery and is part of the vehicle platform. Based on its goal to achieve carbon neutrality, Honda is targeting 100% zero emissions vehicle sales by 2040.
“The establishment of our EV Hub is not simply an investment in retooling and equipment, we are investing in the Honda associates who will be taking on new responsibilities to lead us into the electrified future,” said Bob Nelson, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Our EV Hub in Ohio is playing an essential and strategic role for the evolution of EV production at Honda, in North America and globally,” claimed Nelson.
Non-unionized Toyota Motor, Honda and Hyundai, among other manufacturers in the US, have been increasing wages in an attempt to stop what appears to be impending successful UAW organizing efforts at plants owned by off-shore automakers following the UAW Detroit Three contract sweep last October.
Honda will have the suppleness to produce both internal combustion engine (ICE) and EVs on the same line at Marysville Auto Plant (MAP), its first auto production facility in America. It claims this will give the company a strategic advantage to respond quickly to market demand swings while also demonstrating the “ingenuity and experience of its associates to design a uniquely flexible assembly line.” The associate-friendly improvements to MAP incorporate direct feedback from associates through focused discussions and input from the so-called Honda Associate Voice program.
Honda Marysville Auto Plant
Changes at MAP include both the startup of EV production and sub-assembly of the IPU.
Honda Anna Engine Plant
AEP has produced engines and engine components, transmissions, cam shafts, crankshafts, and high tech CVT components, and will now build the IPU case, that will contain the EV battery module and serve as the main frame structure for the floor of Honda and Acura EVs.
Honda East Liberty Auto Plant
ELP will be producing EVs on a single production line. The changes required at ELP focus more on accommodating the heavier weight of EVs.
Joint Venture EV Battery Plant
A key part of the Honda EV Hub, construction progress continues at L-H Battery Company, Inc., a ~2 million square feet joint venture EV battery facility near Jeffersonville, Ohio.
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