Honda will invest $3 billion to build a new automobile manufacturing plant in Central Ohio, adding capacity for 240,000 vehicles annually as the automaker expands hybrid production across its North American manufacturing network.
The new facility will create more than 2,000 jobs and is expected to begin production in 2029, pending final government approvals. The plant will sit between Honda’s existing East Liberty and Marysville Auto Plants, becoming the company’s fourth automobile assembly plant in Ohio and ninth auto-related production facility in the United States.
The investment forms part of a broader manufacturing expansion across Ohio, Alabama and Georgia, where Honda is upgrading existing facilities to increase production of hybrid-electric vehicles, engines and hybrid powertrain systems.
Once the new plant and associated manufacturing projects are completed, Honda expects its annual U.S. automobile production capacity to reach approximately 1.3 million vehicles, while North American capacity will increase to approximately 1.9 million.
New Ohio plant to support flexible vehicle production
The new Ohio facility will have an annual production capacity of 240,000 vehicles and will be designed to accommodate multiple vehicle types and powertrains.
Honda plans to equip the factory with advanced automation, data-driven technologies and flexible production systems to improve manufacturing efficiency, quality and competitiveness.
Although hybrid and gasoline-powered vehicles will be central to its production strategy, the plant will also have the flexibility to manufacture battery-electric vehicles as customer demand and market conditions evolve.
The company has not yet identified the specific vehicle models that will be assembled at the new facility. However, Honda says its U.S. research and development operations are developing multiple new Honda and Acura models to address future customer demand.
The location also gives Honda access to its existing manufacturing and vehicle development operations, including the adjacent Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, North American Automotive Development Center and Transportation Research Center.
Honda cited Ohio’s established automotive supply chain, skilled workforce and proximity to existing production and research facilities as important factors in selecting the location.
The new plant will also benefit from its proximity to the L-H Battery Company joint venture facility, which has the flexibility to manufacture battery cells for hybrid and fully electric vehicles.
Honda expands engine and hybrid production in Alabama and Ohio
Alongside the new assembly plant, Honda is investing in its existing Alabama Auto Plant to increase vehicle production flexibility and expand engine manufacturing for a new V6 hybrid engine.
The Alabama facility, which began vehicle production in 2001, will undergo significant renovations to its production operations, including one of the most substantial upgrades to its first vehicle production line since the plant opened.
The improvements will allow the facility to manufacture the Passport on both production lines. The model is currently assembled only on Line 2.
Honda will also install additional engine manufacturing equipment to support production of the new V6 hybrid engine and increase engine production capacity.
In Ohio, the automaker is retooling its Anna Engine Plant, the largest Honda engine manufacturing facility in the world, to produce a next-generation four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine for future compact and midsize vehicles built in North America.
The company is also expanding an on-site parts consolidation center at the Anna facility. The center is expected to begin operating in 2027 and will improve logistics efficiency while supporting future manufacturing growth.
Ohio and Georgia facilities to increase hybrid system capacity
Honda is also expanding hybrid powertrain manufacturing at its transmission facilities in Ohio and Georgia.
At the Honda Transmission Plant-Ohio, the company has begun retooling an existing transmission production line to establish a second hybrid system production line.
The expansion will support manufacturing of two next-generation Honda hybrid systems for compact and midsize vehicles, as well as larger models produced in North America.
Honda expects the changes to increase its Ohio hybrid system production capacity by 250% in the coming years.
The facility currently manufactures two-motor hybrid systems used in U.S.-built Honda CR-V, Accord and Civic models. It is preparing to begin production of a next-generation hybrid system in 2027 and is also planning production of a larger system for future vehicles.
Honda Transmission Plant-Ohio will serve as the lead manufacturing facility for the larger hybrid system, with production expected to expand to other U.S. facilities.
In Georgia, Honda Transmission Plant-Georgia will install a new transmission assembly line to manufacture next-generation hybrid systems for larger vehicles.
The facility currently produces 10-speed automatic transmissions for Honda and Acura models manufactured in Alabama and Ohio. Its new hybrid system operations will be developed in collaboration with the Ohio transmission plant.
Honda targets 15 new hybrid models by 2030
The manufacturing expansion supports Honda’s broader strategy to increase hybrid vehicle production in North America.
In May 2026, the company announced plans to introduce 15 new Honda and Acura hybrid models globally by 2030, with North America expected to become the primary market for many of those vehicles.
The expanded manufacturing network will connect vehicle assembly operations with engine and hybrid powertrain production, allowing Honda to manufacture more components closer to its vehicle assembly facilities.
The company’s U.S. development operations in California and Ohio are working on multiple new Honda and Acura models. Honda says closer collaboration between research and development engineers and manufacturing teams will improve production efficiency, quality and the introduction of new models.
The strategy also includes investments at Honda of Canada Mfg. in Alliston, Ontario, where the automaker plans to update and retool manufacturing operations to support next-generation hybrid-electric and gasoline-powered vehicles.
The Canadian investment will also include the reintroduction of engine manufacturing, further expanding Honda’s North American production capabilities.
Honda in North America
Honda has manufactured automobiles in North America for nearly 50 years, beginning vehicle production at its Marysville, Ohio, plant in 1982. In 2025, nearly 99% of Honda and Acura vehicles sold in the United States were manufactured in North America.
The company currently employs approximately 33,000 associates across its North American operations and has invested more than $28 billion in regional manufacturing capabilities.
The new Ohio assembly plant and associated facility upgrades represent another major expansion of that manufacturing network, positioning Honda to increase hybrid vehicle production while retaining flexibility to respond to changing demand for gasoline-powered and battery-electric vehicles.
The expansion of U.S. manufacturing capacity also extends beyond the automotive industry, with major investments in supporting industrial production. International Paper, for example, is advancing construction of its $260 million corrugated packaging plant in Waterloo, Iowa, with the facility expected to be completed and begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026. The two developments highlight continued investment in U.S. manufacturing capacity across different industrial sectors.
Honda Ohio manufacturing expansion – Project facts
- Developer and manufacturer: Honda
- New facility investment: $3 billion
- Location: Central Ohio, between the East Liberty and Marysville Auto Plants
- New plant annual capacity: 240,000 vehicles
- Expected employment: More than 2,000 jobs
- Expected production start: 2029
- Total expected U.S. annual automobile production capacity: Approximately 1.3 million vehicles
- North American annual automobile production capacity: Approximately 1.9 million vehicles
- Ohio hybrid system production capacity: Planned 250% increase
- Additional manufacturing locations: Alabama, Georgia and Ontario, Canada
- Key production focus: Hybrid-electric vehicles, gasoline-powered vehicles, engines and hybrid powertrain systems
Leave a Reply