MARYSVILLE, Ohio - Honda Motor Co. said Monday it will build another auto assembly plant in the Midwestern U.S. state of Ohio to boost its hybrid-vehicle manufacturing, with production expected to begin in 2029.
The new $3 billion plant, to be built in central Ohio, will have an annual manufacturing capacity of 240,000 units, increasing the Japanese automaker's U.S. auto production capacity to roughly 1.3 million units a year, it said.
The plant, Honda's fifth mass-production base and ninth auto-related facility in the United States, will be built between its existing auto plants in East Liberty and Marysville, with more than 2,000 American jobs expected to be created, it added.
Honda noted growing customer demand for hybrid vehicles in North America as the main reason for the move. The plant will be Honda's first new mass-production base in the country in around 20 years.
Starting production in 2029 as intended will be contingent upon final government approvals, it said.
The manufacturer also announced additional investments in its facilities in Alabama, Georgia and Ohio as well as in Canada, mainly to adjust existing production lines and produce next-generation hybrid systems.
