Honda preps for new Acura EV at Ohio hub, but gas and hybrid cars will stick around

Honda is preparing to build its first electric model at its retooled EV hub in Ohio. A new Acura will be the first EV will be built at the hub in late 2025. Meanwhile, Honda said the EV hub will not be exclusive to electric cars with plans to build gas and hybrid models on the same line.

It’s been almost two years since Honda announced a $700 million investment to prepare three of its Ohio plants for EV production.

Its Marysville Auto Plant (MAP) will lead Honda’s EV hub in Ohio. With production a little more than a year out, Honda is updating its plans in the state.

Honda will now build gas and hybrid models alongside EVs in Ohio, the company said in a press release on Tuesday. Gas and hybrid vehicles will be built on the same manufacturing line as Honda reinvents its global production process.

“Our efforts in establishing the Honda EV Hub in Ohio are not focused simply on EV production,” said Mike Fischer, Honda’s executive chief engineer and lead of its new EV hub.

Fischer added its hub in Ohio is laying the foundations for Honda EV production “throughout North America and globally.”

Honda preps Ohio EV hub for new Acura model

The first EV to be made at Honda’s Marysville plant will be a new Acura, based on the Performance EV Concept shown last month. Production is slated to begin in late 2025.

After consolidating two production lines, Honda’s Marysville plant is preparing for sub-assembly of its Intelligent Power Unit (IPU), which houses the battery for its next-gen EVs.

Honda’s Marysville plant will combine battery modules from its joint venture with LG Energy Solution, while its Anna Engine Plant will create the cases for mid- and large-size IPUs.

Honda and LG invested $3.5 billion in the new JV battery plant, with plans to raise that number to $4.4 billion. The plant is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2024 with an expected 40 GWh annual capacity.

Despite adding gas and hybrid production to the mix, Honda is sticking to its goal of 100% of sales being EV or fuel cell vehicles by 2040.

Honda and Acura’s first electric SUV’s, the Prologue and ZDX, are built on GM’s Ultium platform. With a record 5,401 units sold in the US last month, Honda Prologue sales reached 10,394 through August as the electric SUV rolled out to dealers nationwide.