Honda has announced that its new Honda EV Hub in Ohio – a unique facility comprising three plants that will have the flexibility to produce petrol, hybrid-electric and battery electric vehicles on the same manufacturing line – will “reimagine its approach to vehicle production”.
The update states that Honda is using the retooling of the Marysville Auto Plant, the East Liberty Auto Plant and the Anna Engine Plant to redefine its manufacturing processes, focusing on human-friendly and environmentally responsible layouts, processes and materials.
“Our efforts in establishing the Honda EV Hub in Ohio are not focused simply on EV production but on fundamentally reimagining our approach to manufacturing,” said Mike Fischer, executive chief engineer and Honda EV Hub lead.
The Acura Performance EV Concept will be the first EV that will be made at the Marysville Auto Plant in late 2025. A year out from production, retooling efforts are in progress, including the installation of the first of six 6,000-ton high-pressure die cast machines at the Anna Engine Plant for mega casting the Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) cases which house the EV battery and serves as part of the vehicle platform.
The Marysville Auto Plant is now preparing to ramp up operations, with two production lines being merged into one to begin the transition to the flexible production line that will build petrol, hybrid and EVs while also maintaining current internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid production.
The plant will combine the battery modules from L-H Battery with the IPU case made at the Anna Engine Plant to create mid- and large-size IPUs for the different models that will be manufactured at the Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants in Ohio.
Honda is reducing complexity on the main production line, which enables process layouts that reduce walking for staff. By altering the flow of certain installation processes, the team is increasing the space allotted for parts delivery to create an optimized and friendly environment.